


Petal to the Metal

by congratulationsbeautiful



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: 20th Century, Alternate Universe - Pre-Canon, Angst, Anxiety, Awkward Conversations, Backstory, Brotherly Bonding, Brotherly Love, Childhood Memories, Comfort, Comfort/Angst, Crying, De-Aged Character(s), Emotions, F/M, Family, Family Angst, Family Drama, Family Issues, Family Reunions, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fatherhood, Fluff, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Food, Galar-chihou | Galar Region (Pokemon), Gay Rights, Height Differences, Hurt/Comfort, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Internal Conflict, It Gets Worse, Literal Sleeping Together, M/M, Meet-Cute, Men Crying, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Non-Canon Relationship, Not Beta Read, Not Canon Compliant, Not Canon Timeline, POV Multiple, POV Third Person, Parent-Child Relationship, Pokemon, Pokemon Battles, Pokemon Journey, Pokemon Trainers, Pokemon Training, Pre-Canon, Rose | Chairman Rose Being an Asshole, Sibling Rivalry, Sleep Deprivation, Swearing, Teen Angst, Vulnerability, Wordcount: 30.000-50.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:08:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 39,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28204383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/congratulationsbeautiful/pseuds/congratulationsbeautiful
Summary: Though this is seldom addressed publicly, Peony is, in fact, Rose's younger brother.
Relationships: Peony (Pokemon)/Kabu (Pokemon), Peony/Kabu, Peony/Peony's Wife
Comments: 22
Kudos: 16





	1. Budding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The Copperajah on Peony's team has been there since it was a Cufant. It was the first Pokémon Peony caught together with his brother._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> after all the hints in the game and reading peony's backstory i couldn't stop thinking about his life and relationship with rose so i had to write this fic. i know tct came out months ago but it took me a very long time to write out everything that i wanted to write out (peep the word count) i am so proud of this work, especially the title you have no idea

It always felt like the sun shone brighter on important days.

It was appropriate, considering that today was the most important day in this young boy’s life. He had turned 10 years old last month meaning that he was now old enough to go on his own Pokemon journey.

The boy stood in front of the mirror in his bedroom, admiring himself from head to toe in his new Gym Challenge uniform. He wasn’t used to seeing himself in what he would call formal clothing, but he didn’t consider the difference as being a bad thing. He fumbled with his hair, feeling frustrated that he couldn’t decide how to style it. He held a clump of hair in each hand in front of his face, and pulled them away and outwards from each other, creating a middle part. It wasn’t a look that he was used to, but it was something new. He wasn’t just sporting a new outfit and hairstyle, he had been trying to adopt a new and different personality all together which would definitely take some getting used to.

The boy started to gather his things in order to prepare to leave. He grabbed the backpack that was sitting in front of him next to the mirror. He swung it over his shoulders, adding the final touch to his outfit that was also a very necessary accessory that he would need for his adventure. The backpack had arrived weeks prior as a kind gesture from Professor Magnolia, the region’s most well known Pokemon Professor. The backpack had already been prepacked with loads of Pokéballs and Potions.

“Today’s the day,” he said to himself. “The day where everything changes.” He hadn’t even left his house yet, and his heart was racing in anticipation. He took a deep breath. “Just relax. No point in worrying about something that hasn’t even happened yet.”

After one last look in the mirror, he walked to the door of his bedroom and opened it. Before he could even put one foot out the door, he looked down and saw his five-year-old brother staring up at him with determination in his eyes. The little boy had his arms crossed over his chest and furrowed his eyebrows.

“I’m not letting you leave,” he protested.

The older boy laughed softly. His brother’s attempts at preventing his departure warmed his heart.

“Sorry, Peony. You can’t stop me.”

He stepped around his brother effortlessly and started walking towards the staircase. The younger boy was persistent. He latched on tightly to his brother’s leg, applying as much force and pressure as he could to prevent his brother from leaving.

“It’s not fair. I wanna go on your journey with you,” Peony complained.

“You know you can’t, Peony. You’re not old enough,” he explained.

He begrudgingly pulled his brother off his leg, allowing him to finally walk towards the rickety wooden stairs and make his way to the first floor.

“Mornin', Mum,” he greeted brightly as he entered the kitchen.

His mother was standing at the sink, drying silverware with a dish cloth, looking out the window at nothing in particular as the incoming light through the window illuminated her dark brown skin. She was wearing a blue-coloured, frilly blouse, covered in floral patterns that matched her baggy denim jeans. Her hair was cut short and chopped with many curls and waves.

She turned her head to see her eldest son upon hearing his voice. Her stoic, blank expression immediately softened.

“Good morning, Rose,” she smiled. “My goodness, don’t you look handsome in that uniform of yours. It fits you perfectly.”

She dried her hands on the dish cloth before walking over to her son who was standing in the doorway. She fiddled with the collar of his shirt and smoothed out a few wrinkles.

“Mum, stop,” Rose protested, swatting away his mother’s hands.

“Okay, okay. I just want you to look nice on your special day. It’s all so exciting,” she admitted gleefully.

“Mum!” Peony cried, running into the room after trailing behind. He arrived in the kitchen, planting himself firmly next to his brother, pushing himself up against his arm. “Don’t let Rose leave! Tell him he has to stay.”

His mother let out a deep, regretful sigh. She separated the two boys and quickly fixed the creases that formed on Rose’s sleeve before he could object once again.  
She addressed her youngest son. “Peony, We’ve talked about this. You need to stop with all this complaining.”

Rose looked at his brother who had his bottom lip jutted out and was staring at both of them with pleading eyes. He didn’t expect that his brother would have such a hard time adjusting to his absence, even before he had actually left. Rose had been excited to go explore the Galar region, but he wouldn’t be able to enjoy any of that if he knew that his brother would be miserable back home by himself.

“Mum, I’ve been thinking,” Rose began. “I know Peony can’t go on his own journey, but would he still be allowed to have his own Pokemon?”

“What are you trying to say, Rose?” his mother inquired.

She put her hands on her hips which Rose took to understand that he would have to be very convincing.

“What if I caught a Pokemon and gave it to Peony. That way he wouldn’t feel so upset,” Rose offered.

“I want my own Pokemon! Please, Mum!” Peony pleaded. His eyes sparkled as he bounced up and down with heaps of excitement pouring out of him.

Rose smiled at Peony’s enthusiasm, feeling relieved that he had come up with a solution that his brother seemed to approve of, if only his mother would allow it.

“I don’t know. Things could get really messy with a Pokemon running around inside the house. It’s a huge responsibility to give to a five year old,” she wavered.

“Please, please, please,” Peony continued, completely ignoring his mother. His one-track mind being put on evident display from an early age.

“Peony,” his mother addressed him sternly. She squatted down to meet the little boy at eye level to make her message as clear as possible. “If your brother catches a Pokemon for you, do you promise to take good care of it?”

“I will. I promise I will,” Peony said.

She looked up at Rose. “Where are you going to get a Pokemon from?”

“We can go to the Wild Area together and catch one,” Rose offered. “That place is littered with wild Pokemon. I’m sure Peony will be able to pick out something he likes.”

His mother let out a deep sigh, knowing she would later regret giving permission, but it was all she could do to stop her youngest son from constantly complaining. “Alright, you can have your own Pokemon.”

“Yay!” Peony squealed.

The boys began walking over to the front door that was conveniently adjacent to the kitchen in their small house. They immediately started grabbing their outdoor clothes and getting dressed.

“Hang on,” their mother interjected. “You can go after you’ve had breakfast.”

She gestured towards the kitchen table where she had already prepared different plates of food for the boys to eat.

Rose and Peony reluctantly walked back towards the kitchen where they sat down at the table. They scarfed down their food as quickly as they could, with Peony talking the entire time about his new partner Pokemon, before the boys were finally granted permission to leave. They started putting on their jackets, shoes, and hats, preparing themselves for their spontaneous adventure.

“Don’t take too long. The Gym Challenge opening ceremony is at the stadium at noon,” his mother warned.

“It’ll be fine. The Wild Area isn’t far from here. We’ll be safe,” Rose promised.

Once the boys had gotten dressed and Rose grabbed his bag of supplies, they opened the front door and headed outside.

“Hang on, Peony. Let me just check that I have everything,” Rose said before Peony could run off in his own direction.

Peony cooperated and began running around in circles around himself instead, taking advantage of the outdoor space as he continued to mumble to himself about Pokemon. Rose stood in front of the door to their house, swiftly double checking the contents of his bag. After confirming that he had the necessary supplies that they would need on their adventure, he took his keys out of his bag and locked the door behind him, placing them back in his bag once he was done.

While standing outside, the boys were met with a warm breeze hitting their faces. The city of Motostoke was bustling with groups of people moving in every direction and going about their day. The puffs and clouds of steam that shot out of the countless machines only added to the crowded busyness of the scene. One of the things that Rose loved the most about living in Motostoke was that the city never stood still. He spent a lot of his free time reading and learning about the history of one of Galar’s largest cities and how it was the center of industrial progress and engineering. Next to Pokemon, it was the subject that fascinated him endlessly. 

Peony’s abundant amounts of energy didn’t allow Rose to enjoy the beautiful weather or scenery as he began running towards the Wild Area faster than a plane engine. Rose followed behind, making sure not to lose sight of his younger brother.

The sounds of their footsteps reverberated against the iconic cobblestone walkways. The boys reached the city outskirts in record time thanks to Peony’s speed. They stepped carefully down the grand stone staircase that led to the wide-open space of the Wild Area.

Once they reached the bottom of the enormous flight of stairs, the two boys stood in front of all the scenery. It was complete with green grass, piles and patches of dirt, tall and sturdy trees, abandoned camping supplies, and of course, many wild Pokemon roaming about.

Rose looked down at his brother, wondering why he had uncharacteristically suddenly stopped moving. He saw his brother looking in every direction, trying to scan as many details as possible. His mouth was hanging open in awe. It finally occurred to Rose that this was Peony’s first time entering the Wild Area. He had walked past the entrance more than once, but he’d never actually entered to see everything it had to offer.

“Welcome to the Wild Area, little bro,” Rose introduced. “You and me, we’re gonna have ourselves an adventure.”

He wanted to make this first experience for Peony as special as he could, not just the experience of being in the Wild Area, but the process of catching his first Pokemon too.

“Wow,” Peony whispered. “This place is huge! How many Pokemon live here?”

“Way more than you could ever imagine. It’s the perfect place for you to get your first-ever Pokemon.” Rose tried his best to keep his brother as excited and interested as possible.

“Hurry up, Rosie! I want to find a Pokemon!” Peony said, transforming back to his former self, as he ran towards the wild open fields in front of him.

He dragged his brother along, clinging tightly to his arm, and Rose went along with his antics, not wanting to put a damper on his spirit.

After walking farther away from the entrance into the deeper regions of the Wild Area, the boys found themselves underneath the Motostoke bridge since Pokemon usually used the grand infrastructure as a means of camouflage, making it a good place for them to explore and roam around.

“Don’t go in the tall grass,” Rose warned. “Wild Pokemon could jump out at you.”

Before he could run off again, Rose instinctively grabbed his brother’s hand and held it tightly. They were standing far enough away from any Pokemon so that nothing would jump out at them, and they would be safe.

Peony stood in front of one of the patches of tall grass, eyeing the Pokemon that were flocking around. Most of them didn’t pay any attention to the brothers. They were simply going about their routines as normal except for a few of them who noticed the two humans standing in front of them.

One Pokemon in particular became very interested in the boys, specifically Peony. It trudged through the grass on its stout legs, casually milling about. Peony was quick to notice it as it approached them, while Rose was more distracted looking around at other Pokemon.

“That one!” Peony exclaimed. “It’s so cute!”

“Hmm?” Rose looked in the direction that Peony was pointing. “Oh, that’s a Cufant.”

The Pokemon approached Peony warily, seeming to be as interested in him as he was in it. It cautiously stepped forward to investigate. As it got closer, it extended its trunk, resembling its own form of a greeting. Peony held out his hand gently, placing it on its back, feeling its skin that was surprisingly rough to the touch.

“I think it likes you,” Rose smiled as he watched his brother interact with the Pokemon. “Is this the Pokemon you want?”

“Yes, please!” Peony begged.

“Alright, you got it,” Rose agreed.

He slung his backpack off his shoulders and unzipped one of the pockets on the side, reaching inside for a Pokeball.

“Go, Meowth!” he cried as he threw his Pokeball, freeing the Pokemon from the confines of the metal ball.

The steel cat Pokemon stretched its body, running its sharp claws through the thick fur that hung off its face. As it took in its surroundings, the feline quickly understood the scenario after making eye contact with its Trainer and subsequently the Cufant standing in front of it.

Rose began calling out attacks which Meowth obeyed. The Cufant returned with its own lashes and hits but it was no match against its opponent. When Rose noticed that the Cufant was almost at its limit, he fished a Pokeball out of his bag and threw it at the Pokemon. The boys watched in suspenseful anticipation as the Pokeball shook from side to side before hearing the faint noise of a click, securing the newly caught Pokemon.

Rose recalled his own Pokemon back into its Pokeball, placing it back in his bag. He looked over at Peony, realizing that he was too stunned to speak once again, mimicking the same way he had been when they first arrived in the Wild Area. Rose stepped forward to pick up the ball that was sitting motionless on the ground.

“Here you go,” Rose said, handing Peony the Pokeball. “Try and keep it in its Pokeball most of the time so it doesn’t end up destroying the house or anything like that. It’d be better if you played with it outside.”

Peony took the ball from his brother. He held it tightly in his small hands, afraid it might slip away if he wasn’t careful with it. He immediately pushed the button on the front. After a bright flash of light, the Cufant materialized in front of the young boy. It looked up at him with wonder and bewilderment in its eyes.

“Thank you, Rosie!” Peony squealed.

He extended his arms as wide as he could to hug his brother. Rose returned the gesture, wrapping his arms gently around his brother, smiling softly to himself at the nickname his brother used. It was a nickname that Peony rarely used for his brother, only doing so when he was truly happy and content. Most older brothers would probably feel embarrassed, but Rose only felt appreciated and loved, knowing that he had done a genuine act of kindness for his brother.

“You’re welcome, Peony,” Rose replied softly.

The Cufant, seeing this display of brotherly love, trotted over towards the boys, trying its best to snuggle up to Peony, its new Trainer. Peony giggled at the touch and turned his attention towards his new companion. He easily met the Pokemon at eye level given that the two of them were in close proximity in terms of their height. When Cufant extended its trunk, it was able to pat Peony on the top of his head. Peony giggled and returned the gesture, causing the Pokemon to let out a cry indicating its own pleasure.

As it turns out, Peony had a talent for picking partner Pokemon, Rose realized, once he saw how quickly and easily the two of them bonded and how well they got along. Most Trainers needed to spend months or even years building strong relationships with their Pokemon.

“Hopefully now you won’t feel so lonely while I’m gone,” Rose offered.

Peony looked up at his brother. His expression changed. Anxiety and worry were written all over his face. He shuffled nervously, looking pointedly down at the ground.

“I’m still gonna miss you,” Peony admitted quietly.

It wasn’t a huge revelation to either of them—he had mentioned it multiple times already—but that didn’t make it any easier to say it out loud, especially after the joyful time they had been spending together.

“I’m gonna miss you, too. But hey, I’ll be back before you know it, and I’ll have so many stories to tell,” Rose promised.

Peony didn’t say anything. Instead, he tackled his older brother in another hug. He smashed his face up against his brother’s stomach, trying to hide the evident sadness on his face.

Rose held his brother once again, not daring to let go until Peony did.

After a few moments, once Peony finally let go, Rose looked down at his uniform. It was covered in dirt and sand that had now been mixed with a few tear droplets, courtesy of Peony. Dirt, mud, and leaves had stuck to his shoes, staining the once pristine condition that they had been in. He hadn’t noticed any of it while he was in the middle of battling and had only taken notice now that everything had calmed down.

“Damn it. My uniform’s ruined. Thank Arceus Mum’s not gonna see me during the ceremony.” He breathed a sigh of relief before the realization washed over him. “Wait, the ceremony!”

He pulled back the sleeve of his uniform. Looking at his watch, he had 15 minutes to make it to the stadium to be on time.

He grabbed Peony by the wrist and pulled him back towards the entrance of the Wild Area, while Peony hurriedly recalled the Cufant back into its Pokeball, who nearly got left behind. Peony gripped the Pokeball tightly so he wouldn’t drop it as his brother dragged him back home.

Rose ran at a speed that paralleled Peony’s enthusiastic sprints earlier, except now Rose was running out of urgency. The boys hopped up the grand set of stairs as fast as they could until they reentered the city of Motostoke. Rose considered leaving Peony and hoping that he could find his way back home on his own, but it was too irresponsible. If something happened to Peony because Rose was panicking, he’d never forgive himself.

Thankfully, Rose and Peony soon arrived at home, with Rose’s brain mainly operating on autopilot in terms of figuring out directions. He shuffled through his backpack for his keys, cursing at the disorganization of the contents of his bag. Once he finally retrieved them, he unlocked the door. He shoved Peony inside and called out to his mother that he was leaving for the stadium. He threw his bag inside too, hearing it land on the hardwood floor with a thud, knowing that it would only slow him down as he ran, and he could come back for it later. He shut the door right after, leaving no room for any follow-up questions from his mom and preventing her from seeing his disheveled uniform.

Rose took off again, running faster than a Boltund towards the stadium. Now that he didn’t have to worry about Peony, he turned his attention towards his uniform. Luckily, some of the dirt had flown off his clothes thanks to his speed, but it wasn’t as pristine as it should have been for the ceremony. He tried his best to brush off as much of the dirt and sand that he could, which proved to be more difficult than he had expected it would be while running at his top speed.

He hopped on the famous Motostoke wheel, which gave him a chance to catch his breath as he waited for the platform to raise him up to the stadium’s entrance.

Once he arrived, he entered the stadium, finding the foyer empty except for a few League staff members who were loafing around. Rose felt his stomach drop as he wondered if he had missed the entire ceremony. He forced himself to walk up to the man standing behind the reception desk, who easily recognized him as a Gym Challenger thanks to his mostly impeccable uniform.

“You’re lucky you made it in time, kid. Show’s about to start,” the man said. He gestured towards a door to the left. Rose assumed that that was where he was meant to go. He walked briskly towards the double doors.

When he opened them, he saw the locker room on the other side. He quickly noticed the group of kids all around his age huddled together on the other side of the room. He figured that that’s where he should’ve been standing.

He could hear the faint voice of someone who sounded like an announcer coming from the other side of the doors that led to the stadium. He tried his best to blend in. He attempted to look as normal as possible as he regulated his breathing after all the sprinting he did in order to make it here on time.

Trying his best to look casual, he started looking around the room at nothing in particular. He caught a glimpse of himself in one of the mirrors on the wall. His eyes widened at the untamable mess that was his hair. Every strand was sticking in a different direction. A wave of panic washed over him before he attempted to fix it. He tried his best to return it to the way he had styled it in his bedroom in the morning, but his hair was too tangled and knotted to sit properly on his head. He played with it a little bit before swinging all of his hair over to one side. Looking decently presentable and feeling satisfied with how well he was able to handle the situation under the circumstances, Rose turned his attention to the doors that were leading to the pitch.

* * *

On a Saturday morning just like any other, a knock was heard at the door. Peony and his mother had been quietly and calmly eating breakfast together, having a casual conversation.

“Who is it?” Peony asked, craning his neck to look through the window that he could see from where he was sitting.

“I’ll go check,” his mother answered.

She pushed herself away from the table and stood up. She tucked in the kitchen chair before walking over to the front door. Peony watched her disappear out of his line of sight as she passed behind the wall that separated the kitchen from the main entrance. The narrow walls and hallways of the house didn’t allow Peony to see much of what was going on outside the kitchen.

Peony heard the door being unlocked followed by the creaking sound of the rusty door swinging open.

“Surprise,” a voice said.

“Rose!” his mother exclaimed gleefully.

Peony heard his brother’s muffled voice as he ran to greet his brother. When he arrived, he saw his mother had tackled him in an all-consuming hug, making up for all the months where she hadn’t seen him.

“Rosie!” he cried, as he flung himself onto his family members, creating a tight group hug between the three of them.

“What are you doing here?” his mother asked.

Rose struggled to answer, shuffling his neck to break free from his mother’s grasp so he could speak. “I finished the Gym Challenge.”

“You finished?” his mother questioned bewilderedly, finally pulling away from the hug to understand her son’s answer and read his expression.

Rose took his bag off his shoulders, ruffling it out a bit since it had gotten crushed in the hug. He unzipped one of the pockets on the front and pulled out a tin case. He opened it to show off eight sparkling Gym Badges. Peony and his mother admired Rose’s accomplishment, while he displayed his badges proudly.

“So what does this mean for you now?” she inquired.

“I get to compete in the Championship Cup,” Rose said excitedly. “It’s happening next week, so I thought I’d stop by for a visit and spend some time at home with you.”

“How thoughtful of you,” she smiled, pulling him in for another tight hug, while pressing kisses on the top of his head. “I’m so proud of you, Rose.”

“Thanks, Mum,” he blushed.

His mother encouraged them all to go back to the kitchen so Peony could resume his meal, and she could make Rose breakfast since she was horrified to learn that he hadn’t eaten anything that day.

As his mother prepared the food, she and Peony listened to Rose recount all of the exciting stories and adventures he had had over the past months. He described the run-ins he’d had with certain Pokemon, the Gym Leaders he battled and how some of them were tougher than others. He fondly talked about his partner Pokemon who had worked just as hard as he did to earn those victories.

“You caught more Pokemon?” Peony smiled, his face beaming with excitement.

“Yeah, of course I did. There are so many different kinds of Pokemon that live in Galar that I’d never seen before,” Rose explained.

Peony squealed with excitement at his brother’s stories. “Now I want to go on my own journey! More than ever. I wanna see all the Pokemon you caught.” He was bouncing up and down in his chair, excitement pouring out of him.

“Rose can show you after he eats,” his mother reasoned, placing a plate of fresh, hot breakfast food in front of him.

Rose appreciatively gobbled down the large plate of food as he told more stories about the adventures he’d had.

“Do you know where they’re hosting the tournament?” she asked.

“Yeah, it’s gonna be at Hammerlocke Stadium. That place is huge,” he responded.

“Can we come watch you compete?” Peony asked eagerly.

Rose looked down at his nearly empty plate of food with a dark and saddened expression on his face. “Yeah, about that. I already asked some of the League staff if I could get some free tickets for family members, but they don’t do discounts or anything like that, and their prices are through the roof.”

The three of them sat in heavy silence as they took in the grim reality of the disappointing news. Money hadn’t always come easy to them. They were usually able to get by and make do with what they did have, but there were always moments like these that were brutally painful. Even though Peony was the youngest, he still understood and experienced the harsh reality of it all. They all sat in disappointing silence, bearing the weight of their misfortune. It felt like the narrow walls of their home were closing in on them.

“But you can always watch it on TV,” Rose explained, trying his best to sound upbeat and change the atmosphere. “If you set it up to the right channel, you should be able to see all the matches, not just mine, right from home. They said that they’re going to try and televise the battles this year since technology has been progressing so quickly.”

“Well, that’s definitely one solution. We’ll give it a try,” his mother decided.

“Wow, I’m finally gonna get to see my brother during a Pokemon battle, and I’ll get to see all the action.” Peony looked pleased with himself.

“Why wait until next week? You said you wanted to see my Pokemon, didn’t you?” Rose asked.

“Yeah!” Peony exclaimed, determination swirling in his eyes. “But, who are you going to battle?”

“Will you battle me?” Rose offered.

“Me? You want to battle me?” He looked dazed, taken aback, before firmly solidifying his answer. His eyebrows furrowed in determination, clenching his hand into a fist, blood pumping through his veins. “You’re on!”

They scurried away from the table back to the front door. Rose grabbed his bag, overflowing with all the supplies he had gathered and accumulated on his journey. Peony ran upstairs to his room where he normally kept his Cufant inside its Pokeball. He walked back down the stairs, looking at his brother who had put his shoes and Trainer hat on, waiting for him patiently.

“Your Cufant?” Rose nodded at the ball in Peony’s hand.

“Yup,” he confirmed. “Wait until you see how strong it’s gotten.”

After Peony slid on his shoes, the brothers said a farewell to their mother and ran outside with bursting enthusiasm. They decided that the best place to have a battle would be in the open fields of the Wild Area, especially since it would be very reminiscent for the both of them.

Once they arrived, they roamed the grassy fields, locating the best place for their battle. After they’d settled on a spot, they let their Pokemon out of their Pokeballs. Peony let out his Cufant, while Rose displayed his strongest Pokemon, Copperajah.

“Woah! Copperajah is huge!” Peony observed. “I’ve never seen one in real life before.”

“I’m surprised you know its name,” Rose remarked.

“Of course I do,” Peony defended. “After all, Cufant is going to evolve into that someday.”

“Maybe someday soon,” Rose guessed. “Your Cufant is looking really strong.”

Peony folded his arms across his chest, tilting his head upward in pride. “Of course it is. We’ve been training really hard while you’ve been away.”

Cufant let out a cry in agreement, mimicking Peony’s confidence as it turned its trunk upwards.

“Well then, let’s put your skills to the test,” Rose said.

Seeing as Rose was older, he politely allowed Peony to attack first. The brothers battled with force and passion, both of them putting all of their strength into earning a victory. It would have seemed like an unfair match right from the start with Rose having collected eight Gym Badges and Peony still an inexperienced Trainer, but Peony didn’t let that deter him. Rose wasn’t planning on going easy on Peony either, knowing that his strong-willed brother would not appreciate that.

Even if Rose had decided to take it easy on his brother, he would’ve had to throw that plan out the window after he realized how talented Peony really was at Pokemon battling. Rose wasn’t expecting his brother to be so skilled and to command his Pokemon with such power and intention.

He wondered where Peony had acquired this skill from since he assumed that this battle was one of his firsts, if not _the_ first. For the first time, Rose began to realize and understand how much Peony had grown in the past months. He had missed out on Peony’s experiences and what had shaped him to act so mature. He hoped that it was for a positive reason, that it was just some sort of natural growth that all kids went through and that his new budding maturity wasn’t due to him growing up too quickly. Peony was still so young even though he displayed extreme maturity while battling.

Once Rose’s mind came back to reality, he called out a few more commands towards his Copperajah, earning him the victory in the battle.

Peony recalled Cufant back into its Pokeball, giving it praise for working hard even though they had lost. He huffed and looked away when he saw his brother approaching him.

“That was a really great battle, Peony.” Rose stuck his hand out for a friendly handshake, as he had learned to do from other Trainers, but he was met with a cold shoulder from his brother. “Don’t get upset. You have to keep practicing, but you’ll make a great Pokemon Trainer someday.”

“You really think so?” Peony inquired.

“I know so,” Rose confirmed.

His brother’s praise caused Peony to reluctantly display a small smile. The two of them walked back home with Rose trying his best to cheer up his brother along the way.

For the remaining hours of the day, the brothers didn’t leave each other’s side, mainly due to the fact that Peony followed Rose everywhere he went. They chatted until the day faded into night, never running out of topics to discuss. They talked over dinner as they stuffed their faces with another delicious home-cooked meal that their mother had generously prepared.

After eating, everyone contributed to clearing the table and washing the dishes. During this time, the house was quiet for only a short while before the brothers were able to get back to their free time.

“Come upstairs to my room. I wanna show you something,” Peony said to his brother.

They walked up the stairs and down the hallway to Peony’s bedroom. It was smaller than Rose’s and even more cramped since it was littered with toys, books, and all of Peony’s other belongings. The walls of his room were covered with various posters, pictures, and drawings of different Pokemon that he claimed were his favourites, including a small polaroid picture of him and Cufant standing side by side.

Peony walked over to the desk in the far corner of his room which had a stack of books sitting on top. He also had some papers from school, but he mainly used his desk to sit and draw and sketch pictures of different species of Pokemon, including some outdoor scenery that Rose recognized as being parts of the Wild Area. He wasn’t the most skilled artist, but regardless of that, it brought him joy.

Peony picked up one of the books that was sitting on the top of the stack. It had rings along the side, Rose noticed, indicating that it was a notebook.

“Come sit with me,” Peony demanded, grabbing his brother’s wrist and pulling him over to the twin bed on the other side of the room.

He shoved off the shirts and sweaters that had been scattered across his bed onto the floor and took a seat on the edge, patting the spot beside him for Rose to do the same.

“What did you wanna show me?” Rose asked.

Peony opened his notebook, showing pages that were filled with words, drawings, diagrams, and arrows that curved and pointed in every direction.

“While you were gone, I tried coming up with battle strategies for you to use,” Peony explained.

“Wow,” Rose admired. The drawings and diagrams weren’t completely understandable, but that didn’t matter compared to the clear dedication his brother had put in to help him out. “Peony, this is awesome. Thank you so much. Can I see it?”

Peony handed him the notebook. Rose flipped through the pages, seeing that Peony had taken a considerable amount of his time to put this detailed strategy guide together.

“I started making this while you were away, and I wanted to give it to you when you came back. I thought it might help,” he suggested.

Peony’s surprise had amazed Rose right from the start, but even more so when Rose found out that the notebook wasn’t just filled with scribbles. The more he read, the more he was impressed. Peony had put real thought into all the different battle strategies. Going through the notebook had confirmed Rose’s earlier beliefs about Peony’s skills as a Trainer. It was hard to read and understand the writings of a five year old, but where Rose was confused, Peony was there to translate.

Rose’s infatuation with Peony’s notes was interrupted when Peony’s bedroom door swung open, hitting a pile of clothes that was sitting behind the door. The boys’ mother stood in the doorway.

“Do you two have any idea how late it is? Go to bed,” she demanded.

Rose shuffled off the bed, saying a quick good night to his brother before walking across the hallway to his own room. He swiftly got himself ready for bed, turned the lights off, and climbed into his warm, comfy bed for the first time in months. He lay awake, looking at the ceiling, having the first few peaceful moments to himself all day, reflecting on the adventures he had had with his little brother.

He hadn’t realized how tired he was until he let out a deep yawn and started to feel the aching in his bones. He fell asleep almost instantly after that.

The day that the brothers had spent together was finally over, but they both went to sleep, knowing that their time together wasn’t over. They still had tomorrow.

* * *

The afternoon sun was shining brightly through every window. The pulled-back curtains allowed every inch and corner of the house to be effectively illuminated. The brightness matched the excitement that was radiating through the house, mainly coming from Peony. He was sitting on the floor of his living room, who couldn’t sit still and was shaking with anticipation. This was the first time he was able to witness an official League tournament and battles.

The day of the Finals matches of the Championship Cup had arrived, and Rose was set to compete. The ambiance of the event did not go understated. If Rose won, he would have a chance at battling the Champion.

“Hurry up, Mum! We’re gonna miss the match,” Peony whined as he watched his mother fiddle with the many cables and cords that had to be hooked up to the television set in order for it to work.

“Peony, would you please relax? There’s still time,” she mumbled.

The League didn’t televise many battles except for important ones like these: battles that could make Galarian history. Some years they didn’t televise anything except the final match, but with Rose being an up-and-coming rising star, the entire region had their eyes on him. His excellent battling skills weren’t to be underestimated.

Peony’s full attention was on the television screen where he caught glances of blurry and fuzzy shots of the opening ceremonies, hoping to see if he could spot Rose somewhere in the crowd. He sat cross-legged on the floor, with his neck craning forward and eyes shot wide open in fear of blinking and missing something important. Peony wasn’t going to miss a single moment, even if all he could see at the present moment were the graininess and fuzziness of the faces of strangers.

Miraculously, Peony’s mother had set up the television set, which now provided audio and a clearer display. She cautiously backed away from the television, in case she were to accidentally bump something and make the picture go away and walked over to sit on the couch.

Peony could see a man standing in front of the empty battlefield, speaking into a microphone. “And that wraps up our predictions for who we will see come out on top this year. Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s stop messing around with the hypotheticals and get down to business. This is the real deal. The first match of the Finals will begin in just a moment.”

“It’s starting!” Peony exclaimed.

A deafening silence fell over the room, as Peony and his mother watched the announcer turn around to face the battlefield and gesture towards one of the tunnel entrances. “May I introduce our competitors. Please give a round of applause for the brave and determined challenger who has been able to make his way to the Finals. From the city of Motostoke, it’s Challenger Rose!”

Cheers and applause that erupted from the living room blended in with an equal amount of enthusiasm coming from the screen. Rose had amassed somewhat of a dedicated fanbase on his journey, but his biggest supporters would always be watching from home. They watched as Rose emerged from the stadium’s tunnel, wearing the signature Gym Challenger uniform. He entered the pitch proudly with his head held high and eyes on the center of the field.

The announcer continued his introduction. “Rose will be competing against the wizard, the Fairy-type expert, from the town of Ballonlea, Opal!”

The young, beautiful Gym Leader entered the arena with grace and elegance. She moved as if she were stepping on air, with the waves of her short jet black hair wisping in the wind. Her pastel pink uniform fit her body nicely, showing off the curves of her body. The swirls of blue made her teal-coloured eyes shine. Everything about her was refined, from her beaming yet soft smile, to the way she waved at the cheering fans in the stands who she had immediately captivated with her presence. The jeers from Rose’s family blended with the cheers that were coming from the stadium. Opal had been a Gym Leader in the public eye for more years than anyone could remember, and by no doubt had she gained her own following of dedicated and loyal fans. None of that mattered when it came to who was more skillful in Pokemon battling, but it gave Peony a bad feeling in his stomach when he saw how much the crowd favoured Rose’s competition.

Both Trainers met in the center of the battlefield and made firm eye contact, signaling to each other that they were both prepared for battle. After they shared a sportsman-like handshake and a quick exchange of words that was inaudible to the viewers, the competitors walked towards their respective ends of the battle field. The referee explained the rules and signaled the start of the match. Rose and Opal sent out their first Pokemon, and the battle was on.

All eyes were on both of the talented Trainers, as they battled passionately and aimed for victory. Attacks and commands were called out by both parties as they engaged in a high intensity Pokemon battle, the kind that you could only witness between the best Trainers in the region in a stadium full of fans.

Peony watched his brother with intensity, passion, and pride. Rose knew exactly how and when to attack and when to defend. He wasn’t just a good Pokemon Trainer in his brother’s eyes. Anyone who knew anything about Pokemon battling could see that it wasn’t just luck or fate that had gotten him to where he was today.

Rose and Opal battled until the very end, with neither of them backing down and both of them giving it their all. Rose had clearly proven his skills as a Trainer, managing to knock out all of Opal’s Pokemon except for her final one, with two of his own remaining, giving him enough confidence to believe in himself and his capabilities of being able to win the first match of the Finals. A few more strong attacks from Rose and victory would be his. Rose commanded his Pokemon both gracefully and forcefully at the same time, which the Fairy-type user undoubtedly appreciated. It was a respectable defeat from an honourable opponent.

“Rose won! Rose won!” Peony cried, repeating the phrase as he gleefully ran around the room in circles.

“That’s my boy,” his mom expressed, tears of joy brimming at her eyes.

In the background, the same announcer’s voice from before could be heard. “That wraps things up for our first match. We will give the victor, Rose, a chance to rest before he will go up against the winner of this next round of matches. Speaking of which, let’s bring out our next two competitors.”

The second round wasn’t as appealing to Peony as the first round had been. The events of Rose’s battle kept playing over and over again in Peony’s mind. If he kept up his winning streak and perfect battling strategies, there was no doubt in Peony’s mind that Rose could win the second round, and even beat the Champion. Peony took a seat on the couch next to his mother, discussing the events of the battle with each other while they waited for Rose to return to the screen.

“What an incredible second match! The intensity is only going to keep getting higher and higher from here,” the announcer spoke.

“It’s starting again,” Peony announced, scurrying back to his initial position, inches away from the small screen, not wanting to risk missing a single moment of the action.

“Let’s bring out our two finalists. I am pleased to reintroduce the rising star of Galar, the boy who has been grabbing our attention all season, it’s Challenger Rose!”

Once again, loud cheering and applause ensued from both the stadium and Rose’s living room back home.

“Rose’s opponent is a force to be reckoned with. He is equally as strong as the Fighting types he uses. It is my pleasure to introduce, Mustard!”

The Gym Leader stepped forward onto the pitch. His bulging fists were clenched tightly at his sides. In the opposite way that Opal grabbed everyone’s attention with her beauty and grace, Mustard demanded attention with his hard exterior. The cheers for Mustard weren’t as loud as they had been for Rose. They were more forceful and deep. His eyebrows were furrowed in determination, adding yet another layer to his levels of intimidation. The athletic frame of Mustard’s body was easy to take notice of given the fact that he arrived on the pitch bare-chested, with a simple cape wrapped around his shoulders. His muscles protruded from varying areas of his body, mainly his arms and legs. Scratches and scars stuck out against his light skin.

This was the first time Peony had seen the Gym Leader since he had been distracted from the previous match. Mustard’s demeanor gave both Rose and Peony a reason to be worried.

“Rose is gonna beat that guy for sure,” Peony determined. “I know he can.”

The competitors met each other in the center of the pitch before the battle began and shared the customary handshake. Peony may have seen Rose flinch at the strength of Mustard’s grip, but he couldn’t be too sure.

The announcer hadn’t been lying when he said that the intensity was going to increase from here. Even though they were watching from home, both Peony and his mother could feel the tension that was forming in the arena. They could only imagine the intense and unsettling pressure that Rose must’ve been feeling.

For the entire duration of the battle, Rose was struggling to hold on as Mustard’s Fighting-type Pokemon decimated his own. With every Pokemon of Rose’s that fainted, Peony could see the desperate look of panic and stress forming on his brother’s face. Sweat was dripping down his face as he struggled to defeat his opponent.

“It looks like Rose is down to his last Pokemon,” the announcer commented.

Rose stared despairingly at the ball in his hand, giving it a tight squeeze before throwing it. “Go, Copperajah!”

Rose’s strongest Pokemon, and his last hope.

“Yes! Copperajah is amazing,” Peony confirmed. He vividly remembered how strong it was when he was battling it, knowing that Rose still had a good chance to be victorious. The battle wasn’t over yet.

Rose yelled out passionately and desperately as many attacks as he could, pouring everything he had into his last stand. He used the sturdiness of Copperajah to his advantage. The Pokemon didn’t waver, standing proudly as it matched the determined energy of its Trainer.

Rose did everything in his power to defeat his opponent. He yelled out the strongest attacks. His Copperajah put in all the remaining effort and strength it had into one final blow. Smoke and dust swirled around the arena, and as it faded away, only one Pokemon was left standing.

Despite Rose’s best efforts, he couldn’t claim victory.

“That’s it, folks! Your winner is Mustard. He now has the honour of battling for the position of Champion. We’ll be taking a short break, but don’t go anywhere, we’ll be back very soon.”

His mother got up from where she was sitting. She walked over to the television and unplugged the cables making the screen disappear while she mumbled something about not needing to watch anymore.

“Rose lost,” Peony whispered, watching as his world collapsed right before his eyes. For the first time in his short life, he realized that his brother wasn’t the perfect role model he had thought him to be, and he had to learn his lesson the hard way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if it wasn't clear, mustard goes on to become the champion after beating rose. i needed him to be a gym leader in this chapter because i didn't know who else could fill that role lol. imagine he's in his late 20's or smth. i know it doesn't match up perfectly with the canon timeline, sorry for any confusion :)


	2. Blooming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Peony was compared to his brilliant older brother since he was born, causing him to gradually rebel and become a delinquent. He eventually ran away from home, only to become a Gym Leader once his talent was recognized._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> look at me uploading a chapter on the first day of a new year omg who is she

All eight badges were secured, meaning Peony’s journey had officially come to an end.

A few days prior around the same time, the League officials had announced that the Semi Finals and Finals matches would be held in Motostoke this year.

The thought of being back in his city of origin caused a lump to form in Peony’s throat. He had avoided returning home for as long as he possibly could, but since he wanted to compete in the Champion Cup, he had no other choice.

Travelling back to Motostoke meant going through the Galar mines. More efficient methods of travel were available, but going by foot was always the cheapest way, and Peony had gotten accustomed to it during his time on his journey.

It would take a few days for Peony to arrive in Motostoke, and if he stuck to his schedule, he’d be able to arrive the night before his first Semi Finals match. He had been delaying his return home as much as possible, making a few more stops than necessary to stretch out the time it would take to arrive in the industrial city.

As he entered the mine, Peony shrugged his tattered red sweater over his shoulders, trying to keep out as much of the cold as possible. Wisps of wind flew around his body, past his ears. The sound of his hiking boots echoed off the firm but uneven ground. He trudged along, trying to stick to the schedule he had planned as best he could.

Peony hadn’t returned to Motostoke in months since the day where he first left to participate in the Gym Challenge. Once he had secured a victory against the city’s Gym Leader, he bolted to see the rest of Galar and hadn’t looked back since. He had had enough of the city for one lifetime.

Leaving for the Gym Challenge meant leaving home, and Peony knew that. Being free and on his own had been high on the list of reasons why he wanted to take part in the Gym Challenge in the first place. He knew that he would have more peace of mind being away from his family, and he stayed away from home as much as possible.

He’d thought about running away from home multiple times, but he didn’t know where he would go. It was more irresponsible than reckless.

Being a Gym Challenger had given him his first taste of what it was like living alone. Within the first few weeks, the improvements that he saw in his mental health were wondrous.

He had slept in the Wild Area for multiple nights, enjoying nice weather and clear, starry skies with his Pokemon. Camping in the Wild Area had become more popular among Galarians, and especially Gym Challengers in recent years. As a Gym Challenger, Peony also had access to sleep in Pokemon Centers where rooms were available on cold nights.

Whether he won the Finals or not, he wasn’t planning on returning home. He’d been trying to find an easy way to distance himself without having to explicitly tell his mother that he didn’t want to live with her anymore, something that he thought that he would never be able to do. While competing in the Gym Challenge, he spent his free time in between battles looking for cheap apartments where he could live on his own. Part of the reason why he was so determined to win the Finals tournament and become Champion is because he knows that he would be fine in terms of money, and he would have a better excuse not to move back in with his mom.

Being back in the mines had forced his brain to remember all of the time, along with the work and effort, that he’d spent here as a teenager. Before Peony could go on his own journey, he had to spend the years prior working in the mines. Registration for the Gym Challenge was only possible through monetary payment. Since his family had already spent all the money they had put aside for Rose, obviously, Peony had to earn his own money if he wanted to participate. Picking up extra shifts and working overtime had helped him earn enough money to be able to quit and finally register himself in the Gym Challenge.

Before he had entered, the rumour going around was that Peony wasn’t going to register. The spreading gossip among his other family members was that he would never be as good as Rose and that he would never live up to his brother’s reputation.

All that time working in the mines, he’d been given a lot of time to think and contemplate about what he really wanted to do with his life.

On those rough days where it felt like nothing mattered, he had considered quitting his job and completely giving up on his dream. Some days, it felt like no matter how much he worked, he would never achieve his goal. Even if he did, he wondered whether or not entering the Gym Challenge was something that he really wanted to do.

A deep part of him didn’t want to enter the Gym Challenge at all, feeling like his optimal time to participate had passed long ago, and it was just too late for him to enter. If he walked down that path, he would never stop hearing about how much of a disappointment he was compared to his brother.

When he was honest with himself, he knew that deep down he really wanted to. The little voice in the back of his mind always kept forcing him to never give up and keep working. He couldn’t deny the truth that he loved Pokemon battling, so much. No matter how difficult it seemed, he wasn’t going to stop working until he was able to enter the Gym Challenge. Peony knew that when he really buckled down and focused on something, he knew that he could accomplish it.

He had spent countless hours and days hammering away at pieces of rocks, with no one but Copperajah by his side, who had evolved one day while they had been training together in their free time.

The mindless tasks had given him enough time to think about what he wanted from life. He made decent money working in the mines, enough to sustain a living for one person, but the thought of working at the same mind-numbing job for the rest of his life wasn’t satisfying whatsoever. He needed to get away as soon as he could before he got too old.

Officially deciding to register himself for the Gym Challenge was one of the first times in his life where he had done something entirely for himself. He wasn’t trying to copy or imitate Rose, like he had constantly done when he was younger. Originally, a large reason why he wanted to enter was so that he wouldn’t be seen as a complete failure standing next to his brother. He knew that making life-changing decisions, just so he could be seen as being different from Rose, wouldn't be the best reason to register. The greatest motivation that he had to participate was because he desperately wanted to do something for himself for once in his life.

Earning enough money had only been half of the problem. Actually going through and completing the Gym Challenge hadn’t been easy, and not for the typical reasons. Aside from the difficult Gym Battles and training regimens that he had to deploy on his team and himself, Peony had to overcome the struggles that were unique to him.

Throughout his journey, he always felt uncomfortable with the fact that he was the Gym Challenger who was much older than all the other participants. Even some of the Gym Leaders that he had faced were younger than him, which hadn’t been embarrassing _at all_. The situation wasn’t made any easier when he had reached his peak height years ago. He’d shot up like a rocket during his teen years. During the Champion Cup next week, he would have to battle against kids who hadn’t hit puberty yet.

Peony was a strange combination of being above-average in height, along with being shy and constantly wanting to fade into the background at the same time. Even if he had entered the Gym Challenger as a child, he still should have known from the beginning that blending in with the other competitors wouldn’t have been an option, being one of the only challengers with dark brown skin. Going anywhere without feeling out of place was rare.

His stature and appearance hadn’t been a total issue. Sometimes they worked to his advantage. Over the months that he had been progressing through the Gym Challenge, he’d become one of the more popular Challengers, with a lot of competitors and news outlets referring to him by name. Most people came to know him because he was related to Rose, but he did have a few fans and followers who appreciated him for who he was, many of whom were young men just like him. After Peony had gotten the chance to talk to some of them, he learned that the things he had to go through weren’t unique to him. Whether he wanted to or not, Peony served as a beacon for a lot of struggling young men in Galar.

He’d even been stopped on the street a few times and asked to sign some autographs, something he never even fathomed would happen in his lifetime. The most surprised he’d ever been was when another boy around his age had asked him out on a date. Peony had been so stunned that he’d frozen up like a block of ice. He couldn’t even remember what he had said to reject the offer.

As shy and reclusive as he was, he didn’t mind receiving attention, every once in a while. He just wasn't used to it.

Of course, nothing was ever perfect. What irked him the most about being in the spotlight were the inevitable mentions of his brother.

Peony couldn’t remember the last time he’d been in an interview where the reporter hadn’t asked a question about what it was like growing up with Rose or what Rose was up to these days. Peony had tried his honest and complete best to go into the Gym Challenge and make a name for himself, separate from Rose, desperately trying to cover up any tracks that would suggest that he was related to Rose, but to no avail. The media was just too insidious for him to handle.

The Galar mines were completely different than Peony remembered them. The structures themselves hadn’t changed much. The facility was still just caving walls of rock, dirt, and steel.

Even though the overall appearance of the mine was nearly identical, Peony didn’t feel the same way now compared to how he used to when he was working here. The feeling wasn’t nostalgia exactly, but being here, he couldn’t stop thinking about how different his life was when he was working here. He had become a completely different person in a relatively short amount of time. The sad teenager he was when an employee here seemed unrecognizable. Peony almost laughed to himself, considering that he never thought that he would get to a point in his life where he could think like that. He still has his own issues of course, but a few years ago he never thought he’d be able to enter the Gym Challenge, let alone have eight badges and be a competitor in the upcoming Champion Cup.

Peony forced himself to continue moving, trying not to get caught up in too many emotions and memories. He stared down at his feet as he walked along. He noticed that he had reached the center of the mine, the main area where the workers usually did their jobs.

He was travelling late at night, doing so deliberately so as to not run into anyone and have any unwanted or unpleasant interactions with anyone who might recognize him from the time he worked there. Aside from a few distant voices, he believed that he would be safe for the most part when it came to avoiding human interaction. He took notice of the supplies laying around, taking it to mean that he was correct in assuming that everyone had gone home for the night. Back to their families, while Peony travelled alone.

He hung his head low, keeping the cold from biting at his face. The wisps of wind around him whooshed past his ears, making the voices around him sound distant. With his gaze pointed down, he couldn’t tell exactly where the people in his path were standing. Peony looked up to navigate his way around the barricade of the groups of strangers in his path.

Except, Peony recognized one face that stood out from the rest. In a split second, he locked on cool green eyes that were identical to his own.

“Peony? Is that you? What are the chances?” he exclaimed.

Peony looked like a Deerling in headlights watching his brother spread his arms out in greeting. 

Rose grabbed his brother abruptly, squeezing him tightly. Peony could only imagine how unusual they looked in the eyes of the other workers. Rose was several inches shorter than Peony, yet he still had a firm grip on the taller boy, who had the most disgruntled look on his face.

Peony cursed himself for not being more careful about where he was going. Now he was stuck in the situation that he most wanted to avoid.

“Hi, Rose,” he greeted, speaking through gritted teeth, rolling his eyes at his unfortunate luck of being born into a family of huggers.

After Rose finally pulled away, Peony got a better look at him. He had visibly gotten older. He had more bags under his eyes that were deeper and darker, making them a more noticeable feature on his face. He had grown a full beard compared to the scruff that was on his face the last time Peony had seen him.

Rose still wouldn’t be considered old by most people, but he still had a slight, almost natural, slouch in his back and his posture. His gut was thicker, which Peony could still see despite the oversized grey jacket that Rose was wearing. He casually had his right hand stuck in the pocket on the side of his pants, as he stood talking to his brother.

He still had his hair parted to the side in a combover, his signature hairstyle. Peony couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen Rose’s hair look any different. Peony had seen Rose wear that style his whole life. The only difference was that Rose was now sporting an undercut along with his famous hairstyle. Somebody needed to let him down easy and tell him that he was no longer as young as he thought he was, but that person wasn’t going to be Peony. Siblings were supposed to tease each other, but Peony’s heart just wasn’t in it. They never had that kind of relationship, and they definitely couldn’t start a foundation for that now.

“Look at you, little brother. Well, I guess you’re not so little anymore,” he chuckled. He dragged his hand up and down, as if Peony hadn’t noticed that he was the taller of the two.

Peony gave a weak laugh in response out of kindness, but mainly out of obligation. He’d heard every variation of every tall joke enough times to last the rest of his life. Peony didn’t appreciate the fact that his brother, who didn’t get along with, was making very weak attempts at trying to be funny and reconcile things between them.

“I hear you’re going through the Gym Challenge. Finally got around to it, huh?” Rose inquired.

“Yeah.”

The dryness of Peony’s response resulted in the flow of the conversation being cut off. The brothers stood in silence, making and breaking eye contact with each other as they looked around aimlessly and then back at the other. The impending, sudden silence that came after they both stopped talking so suddenly was deafening.

“Well I’m still stuck here,” he joked. “Pokemon battling doesn’t pay the bills, so I had to get a real job.”

 _Maybe if you were better at it_ , Peony thought.

His lack of a verbal response only brought about more uncomfortable silence. The circling gusts of wind created more noise than Peony had, along with the sounds of pickaxes hitting against the rocks and stones in the background.

“I met someone actually,” Rose confessed abruptly, desperately grasping at straws to salvage the agonizing conversation.

He scratched the back of his neck and looked down, signaling that he was talking about something that made him probably feel vulnerable.

“Oh, you did? That’s nice.” Peony forced himself to give a weak response.

Either Rose didn’t notice Peony’s disinterest or decided to look past it and continue talking about himself.

“Her name’s Oleana. We met here in the mines actually. She got recruited a while after you left. It’s hard to get her attention sometimes, but turns out we have a lot in common. I wanted to ask her out on a date soon. She’s the stubborn type and doesn’t really talk to anyone, but I can’t help myself. The heart wants what it wants, you know?”

“Yeah. For sure.” Peony nodded, trying his best to listen to his brother’s gruelling voice.

Rose was only in his early twenties. Was that too early to ‘meet someone’, Peony wondered. It’s not like he knew any better, being out of luck himself his whole life when it came to relationships. Whatever the case, he knew that this wouldn’t be the last he heard about Oleana.

“But enough about me, what’s going on with you?” Rose asked. “I hear the Championship Cup is next week.”

“Yeah, it's pretty exciting,” he admitted.

Peony began to wonder to himself why Rose had been speaking and acting so formal this entire time. His tone of voice sounded like one that he would use in a business meeting, with colleagues he doesn’t know too well rather than his own brother. Rose was still pretty young himself and nowhere near being a functioning adult.

“I always knew you would make a talented Pokemon Trainer. You learned your type matchups as soon as you could talk. You were always helping me come up with new battle strategies, remember?”

He did remember. When he thought about how childish and energetic he used to be, he tried not to feel too outwardly embarrassed.

When Rose brought it up, Peony got the feeling that he was almost hinting that that was the image of Peony that Rose still had in his mind, the innocent little boy who idolized his older brother. Rose was making a clear impression from the way he was speaking.

Rose, who couldn’t quite exactly understand what Peony’s silence was meant to indicate, unable to read his thoughts or the stoic expression on his face, decided to fill the space with his own words, thoughts, and expressions.

“We’re worried about you, Peony,” he stated. “Mum says you haven’t been keeping in touch with her either. You used to be such a happy and carefree kid, what happened?”

Peony bit his tongue. Rose had hit a nerve, whether deliberately or innocently, Peony couldn’t tell. He could’ve talked back. He could’ve shouted all the obscenities he wanted to at Rose. He could’ve yelled at him and told him that he was majorly responsible for why Peony wasn’t as happy and carefree as he used to be. Confessing to all the trouble he’s had to endure over the past years would’ve been so easy. He could’ve poured his heart out and told him how rough his life had been and how nothing ever came easy to him.

Instead, he said, “There’s nothing for you to be worried about. I'm fine. People just change. Like you said, I've gotten older. You know, your little brother isn’t so little anymore.”

Rose’s lips turned upwardly slightly at Peony’s use of his earlier comment. Peony responded with his own slight smile, sealing the deal on what was another convincing lie on his part, praying to Arceus that Rose would believe his words and drop the interrogation.

“I’m proud of you, Peony. It must’ve taken a lot of hard work and determination to get to where you are today,” Rose complimented.

Peony stood there stunned, eyes wide. He wasn’t used to receiving compliments or hearing praise. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d his brother say something like that about him. He did a double take in his mind, trying to process the unusual occurrence. Admittedly, it was nice, more so than it was awkward. His words felt more organic now than they did before.

“Thanks, Rose.” The surprise was evident in his tone, sounding unsure, like he wasn’t sure if he’d heard him right.

The blissful moment ended quickly, as they tend to do, with Rose announcing his departure. “Alright. Well, I’ll let you get back to your training and everything. I know how much hard work it can be, believe me.”

“Yeah, thanks,” Peony said, stepping around Rose, continuing down the same path that he had been walking in.

“I’ll be sure to watch you battle,” Rose stated.

Something in his voice made Peony feel like Rose’s comment was more threatening than supportive, with the sound of his voice reverberating off of the walls of the mine.

Peony stopped in his tracks. He looked over his shoulder, raising a hand in farewell.

“Yeah, was nice seeing you,” Peony managed.

It was anything but.

* * *

Pacing around the stadium’s locker room was meant to help calm down Peony’s nerves, and it was failing. He had stepped on every inch of the floor, and yet his jitters were still sky high. He wrung his hands over and over, but it only added to the sweat that his palms were already producing.

“Fuck, why am I so nervous?” he mumbled. “This is what I’ve wanted for so long.”

He’d worked and trained relentlessly for days and nights. Now he was finally faced with one of the greatest challenges he’d faced in his life so far. In only a few minutes, his name would be called out onto the battlefield to compete against the Champion of the Galar region, Mustard.

He had this nervous feeling in his stomach for the past few days now. No matter what he did, he couldn’t get rid of it. In the days leading up to the tournament, posters and advertisements were plastered on every surface in Motostoke, encouraging people to buy tickets to the match and to watch from home. The promotions only served to make Peony more and more unsettled. The pressure had been building with every passing second, weighing down on his shoulders. The suspense consumed him.

He slapped himself for getting so out of control. Peony had participated in hundreds of battles in his life up to this point. This one was just another one that he would become experience under his belt.

The roaring and cheering of the fans on the other side of the double doors only added to his increasing state of anxiousness. The background noise reminded him that a stadium full of people would be kenly watching his every move. Every movement, every choice, every attack he called out to his Pokemon, they would all be relentlessly analyzed and criticized by the expert commentators whose job it was to point out all of his mistakes.

The scope of the people that occupied the stands didn’t even cover the entirety of the people who were watching. Since he was a child, the technology in Galar had advanced in recent years, meaning more people now had easier access to television and could watch the matches from home.

Even with one of the largest crows he’d ever seen in his life, the suspense was nothing compared to how he felt knowing that one specific person was watching. Rose's comment echoed in his mind. A week had passed, but his words were still as clear as day in Peony’s mind. Somewhere out there in Galar, his brother was waiting to see what he could manage to do in what was the most important battle of his life to date.

Peony had defeated and overcame every obstacle in his path in the past, and it was all leading up to this moment.

A door opened behind him, causing Peony to spin around rapidly in tension. A member of the League staff had entered the room, with a raised eyebrow at Peony’s lack of stability.

“Match is on in sixty seconds. Same procedure as last time, wait in the tunnel until your name is called,” she explained.

Peony nodded as the staff member swiftly left the room.

Sixty seconds for him to gather himself before presenting himself to Galar. He ran his hands across his face, wiping away as much sweat as he could. He double checked the pockets of his shorts to make sure he had all six Pokeballs with him. Peony passed through the double doors that led to the pitch, waiting in the dark tunnel, listening to the announcer’s voice that boomed throughout the stadium. He tapped his foot on the ground, bouncing his leg up and down out of habit, not realizing he was doing it as he was lost in thought.

“First, let me introduce the Challenger. The young man who has worked his way up to be able to compete in the Finals is certainly a talented one. Competing for a shot at becoming Champion right here in his hometown, it’s Peony!”

He entered the pitch, not realizing at first that he was stepping forward, feeling like he was being pulled forward across the lengthy field. The sound of the cheers of the crowd and the chants of his name helped to recenter his focus and give him new-found determination and motivation.

Making his way to the middle of the pitch, he could hear the sound of the announcer’s voice coming from the stadium’s speaker system. “Peony certainly comes from a talented family. It’s been over twelve years since his brother was in his exact position.”

The match hadn’t even started and Peony was already struggling. A sour taste began to form in his mouth as he put in all of his willpower into maintaining his calm composure in front of the endless rows of spectators. He kept his eyes looking straight ahead, staying as firm as a Steel-type Pokemon.

He reached the end of his path, standing on his respective side of the circle in the middle of the field, turning his head towards the tunnel opposite from the one he walked out of, waiting for his opponent to enter the field.

“And now, the moment we’ve all been waiting for, it’s time to bring him out onto the pitch. The man with the longest winning streak in Galar’s history, your Champion, Mustard!”

The deafening roar travelled throughout the stadium. The most popular and well known man in the region began making his debut for his annual, yet most crucial match.

From what Peony remembered, Mustard had evolved from his time as a Gym Leader, the same way a Pokemon would. Representing Galar meant that he had to present himself more professionally, thus ditching the cape and bare-chested appearance he sported years ago. In the muscle tee he was wearing, oddly enough, his muscles weren’t as prominent and protruding as they used to be. The Champion logo stood out more on the bright yellow fabric than his once-bulging muscles did. Despite that, anyone could tell that Mustard was an athlete. Parts of the skin around his body were starting to droop and sag, something that wouldn’t be expected to typically happen until later in life. What remained of the hair on his balding head was pulled back in tight buns, emphasizing the tension that he created when he was brought into a room.

The Champion reached the center circle where Peony was waiting for him. His eyes were as sharp as ever, digging into Peony’s confidence and composure.

“Here we are. Just like with your brother. I’m getting déjà vu,” he stated.

Every muscle in Peony’s body tensed up at the comparison. Even a revered, respected expert like Mustard compared him to his brother. The anger running through Peony’s body only added to his determination to finish this battle coming out on top.

“I’m nothing like my brother,” Peony stated firmly. “Because I’m going to defeat you and become the Champion.”

Mustard smirked at the young boy’s confidence. He didn’t speak any further. He turned to walk to his end of the pitch, indicating that their skills in battle would continue to communicate what needed to be said. The referee of the match explained the standard rules that they had already heard countless times before.

With the signal to begin the match, the competitors sent out their first Pokemon.

Peony led with Aggron, while Mustard selected Corviknight. After he had become Champion, the former Fighting-type Gym Leader added variation to his team, stating publicly that he didn’t want to be put in confines in the battle strategies, techniques, and styles that he used.

The competition between Peony and Mustard met all expectations for what a Champion-level battle should have been. Peony stood confidently with his feet planted firmly on the ground. He gestured forward as he commanded his Pokemon, looking more professional than an average teenager would have in his position.

Peony didn’t waver or let himself get caught off guard. The piercing eyes in the stadium that were drilling into him kept him focused more than it had made him nervous from the start of the battle. He knew that everyone was watching him, and he couldn’t let them down. The people who he’d met along the way on his journey, people who had called themselves a fan of his, they were all watching him, expecting him to win, or at least to not go down without a fight.

He couldn’t help but remember parts of Rose’s battle against Mustard all those years ago. He still remembered the way Rose had been struggling to hold on and gain some sort of edge over Mustard during the battle. He didn’t know why, maybe it was because years had passed since then or because Peony was older now than Rose had been at the time, but he didn’t feel that way at all.

Peony had precisely practiced for what would happen on this day. He’d been coming up with viable battle strategies since he was five years old, and now he got to show them off where it really mattered. He didn’t let himself get too confident, but it made him proud and gave him the right amount of confidence to compete as a worthy opponent to the Champion.

With both competitors down to their last Pokemon, the wildness and craziness of the arena was at an all-time high. The spectators had received the intense and heated battle that they had been promised. The shouts coming from all around him motivated him, giving him confidence that he would be able to handle the competition.

Peony pulled his final PokeBall out of his pocket. He took a deep breath, solidifying the real experience that was about to happen for himself. He had anticipated that it would all come down to this, and he had been right.

“I’m counting on you,” he whispered before throwing the PokeBall in front of him onto the field.

His best and most loyal partner materialized in front of him, earning some cheers from the stands of the people who knew that Copperajah would not disappoint.

Peony poured everything he had into the battle. If he were victorious, his life would never be the same again, not in the slightest. The helpless kid from Motostoke that he had been his whole life would vanish. If he won this battle, he would have everything he wanted, everything that he worked for, but sometimes life doesn’t always go as planned.

Peony could plan and train and strategize and devise all he wanted, but predicting the final outcome of a battle would always be a fuzzy mystery. No matter how badly he wanted to start a new life for himself, one where he would be different from his brother, they ultimately suffered the same fate.

Even while working alongside his best Pokemon, he failed to claim the title of Champion.

After the dust had settled and the victor of the match had officially been determined, Peony walked over to his Copperajah laying on its side on the field, petting her softly until she recovered just enough from fainting to hear Peony say his thanks. He recalled her back into her PokeBall, telling her to rest.

He turned to face Mustard, the man who had successfully proved his strength to the region once again, securing his title for another year. He seemed caught up, relishing in the amount of praise that he was receiving. Peony didn’t want to disturb Mustard’s celebration, but he still approached him and politely extended his hand for them to share the customary handshake.

As Mustard became increasingly preoccupied and the cheering and celebrations began to take over the stadium, Peony took that as his cue to leave inconspicuously, disappearing back to the locker room.

He opened his assigned locker, grabbed his duffel bag, and placed it on the bench. He pulled his uniform off his body, angrily stuffed the sweaty clothes inside his bag.

“It’s not like I’m ever gonna need these again,” he mumbled to himself.

He was certain no one would hear him speaking to himself over the roars and the loud music playing from the stadium on the other side of the doors, feeling like he was another world away.

He stood alone in the locker room, slouching over his belongings. He stared at his clothes. He watched as they went blurry before realizing that tears were starting to form in his eyes. He covered his face in his hand, trying his best to calm himself down and regain his composure.

After a few solidifying, deep breaths, he pulled out his regular clothes, his signature red sweater and a pair of grey sweatpants, and threw them on.

Feeling defeated, he slung his duffel bag over his shoulders and exited the locker room for the last time.

To anyone loitering in the foyer of the stadium, he wasn’t attracting any attention. His expression was stern, trying not to reveal any more vulnerability or emotion as a product of his defeat and subsequent harsh criticisms of himself.

He didn’t have to try so hard, he realized, once he started pushing past the clustered crowds of fans, who were all raving about their Champion.

Peony shouldn’t have been surprised to discover that nobody among the large crowds of people had been discussing him. He should’ve known better. His whole life, somebody was always better than him, outshining him. He should’ve been used to it by now, but not being acknowledged didn’t get any easier over time.

He was approaching the exit when he accidentally made eye contact with a man standing next to the doors. Peony was puzzled, when he realized that the man had previously been staring at him. An unsettling feel expanded in his stomach, while a confused feeling appeared in his mind. He wondered why anybody would want to talk to him after his loss, if not to offer apologies.

Peony decided to save himself from the customary politeness and degradation that he would otherwise have to endure. He stepped quickly around the people that were in his way. He squeezed through the tight spots where groups of people were huddled together, getting frustrated at the blockage that they had inadvertently created. If Peony wanted to exit the stadium, he would have to leave through the exit that was guarded by the mystery man.

This couldn’t have been a coincidence, Peony thought to himself. He knew that there was something that this guy wanted, and he was showing that he was going to be persistent about it.

Reluctantly, he trudged over to the man. The closer he got, the better he could see the man’s features.

He was wearing a dark-coloured button-up shirt that needed to be ironed out. He paired it with a pair of thick black trousers, creating a bland monochrome look. The colours made the slightest tan on his skin visible.

The hair on the top of his head remained in spots where he hadn’t gone bald was made up of only a few thin strands. The wrinkles on his forehead were faint, probably new. Peony thought that he seemed old enough to be around his mother’s age. His eyes, the colour of storm clouds, were locked onto Peony as he spoke.

“Hello, Peony. That was quite a show you put on for us,” he observed. He stuck out a bony hand with fingers that looked like twigs. Peony reluctantly shook his hand, trying not to wince at his cold touch. “You’re a very talented Pokemon Trainer.”

His voice was weak, drowned out by the deafening buzzing and chatter coming from Mustard’s fans.

“Thanks,” Peony responded flatly, accepting the compliment out of obligation.

He didn’t feel very talented, having just lost one of the most important matches of his life.

“I’ve had my eye on you for quite some time now,” he admitted. “The way you handle Steel-type Pokemon is remarkable.”

Peony didn’t think of himself as a Steel-type user, but he understood why some people would think that. The Pokemon that were by his side were simply the ones he liked best. They all just happened to be Steel types.

“I have a proposition for you,” he continued. Peony’s ears perked up at the enticing words. “I’ve been wanting to start up my own Gym for a very long time. So long in fact, that I have become too old to run it myself. I need a strong, dedicated Trainer to take upon the role of Gym Leader. I know we’ve only just met, but I’ve seen you battle, and I recognize your talent. There’s a certain freshness to your youth, and that’s just what Galar needs right now. I believe that with your skill, you will make an excellent Gym Leader.”

Peony’s mouth and throat had gone dry. He wondered if he were hallucinating the golden opportunity that had fallen into his lap. Being a Gym Leader wasn’t as prestigious as being the Champion obviously, but considering that minutes ago, Peony was ready to give up on his career as a Pokemon Trainer, he couldn’t believe this stroke of luck.

“Wow, I, er, really don’t know what to say,” he stammered.

“I thought so. That’s alright. Feel free to think it over,” the man offered. He reached into the chest pocket of his shirt, took out a card with a phone number on it, and handed it to Peony. “Whenever you make your decision, I’ll be waiting.”

He extended his opposite hand, which Peony shook quickly, not noticing any of the details of his hand this time, as he was still reeling over his new, sudden job offer.

Peony watched the man turn around and exit the stadium, as he stood as still as a tree, grasping tightly onto the piece of paper that could send his future in an entirely different direction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i can't believe i got this chapter done so quickly (at least by my standards) it's not the most important chapter but it needed to get done
> 
> the story is going to become a lot more interesting from here (at least in my opinion)


	3. Fire and Steel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _To this day, he is known as "Steel Peony" and has many fans, especially among men._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my goal for this chapter is to make my readers ship these two
> 
> since i'm the first person to write a fic about these two i didn't know the proper way to create the tag so that's why there are two versions sorry lol

Another day of work as a Gym Leader was complete. After Peony had sent all of the Gym Trainers home, he made his way to his changing room hidden far away at the end of the long hallways of the stadium.

When Peony had first started working in the stadium, his changing room had acted as a storage room. After renovations and the original suggestion on Peony’s part, the room had been transformed to function as his private room. Peony spent a lot of his free time here before, after, and in between matches when Challengers would come to the Gym. With the big responsibility that he had, he figured he needed a personal space. He reasoned that he should be able to spoil himself just a little bit, giving himself things he never had now that he was turning his life around.

In the silence of the mostly empty stadium, Peony entered his room, kicking the door closed behind him and falling into the chair on the other side of the room. Sitting next to him was his desk littered with his large rucksack and the contents that were falling out: his personal belongings, PokeBalls, different Gym uniforms, and other items of clothing. He looked at himself in the mirror that was positioned upright against the wall in front of him. He analyzed the features of his face, mainly the bags developing under his eyes and his unruly beard that needed to be trimmed. A couch sat against the wall next to him, but after a long day he always felt the need to be reflective and look at himself.

A wooden shelf was situated above his mirror on his left. The platform was a display of trophies that Peony had won in various tournaments he had competed in and even his original case of Gym Badges from his journey. Some of them came from Gyms that had shut down a long time ago. Peony kept them on display for himself because they served as a humble reminder of where he had started out as a Trainer compared to where he is now.

Mingling around in his room, Peony couldn’t help but think about a different time in his life. He’d spent the day coaching and training the Gym Trainers for the upcoming restart of the Gym Challenge. The opening ceremony for the Gym Challenge would take place in a few days. Working with young trainers forced him to remember what his life was like when he had been in a similar position.

Sometimes Peony felt like he had lived more than one life. When he had agreed to become a Gym Leader, the Stow-on-Side Gym had been in the minor division. Once Peony accepted the job, he had turned the entire place upside down. Before Peony, the town was a rural location that didn’t receive much attention from Galarians. Now, the Gym that they had started out with was officially recognized by the League, a by-product of Peony’s success and his dedication. He’d worked vigorously to show off his talent to the region, and the Gym had gained more recognition over the years, with more and more Gym Challengers showing up every year to battle against Steel Peony.

While lazing around and letting his mind wander, his eyes inadvertently landed on the clock on the wall next to him.

“Shit, I forgot that was today,” he mumbled.

Pulling himself out of his comfortable position, Peony packed up his belongings and slung the straps of his rucksack over his shoulders. He left the room, quickly locking the door behind him, and headed down the long hallway to the main exit and entrance.

He said polite farewells to the rest of the staff members who were still running business as usual at the stadium. Peony had a reputation for always being positive and upbeat with the employees who had been working there as long as he had. They had all come to know him as being constantly friendly and approachable.

Leaving the stadium, Peony was greeted by the warm sun shining on the town. Stow-on-Side was known for getting a lot of heat around this time of year. The stone walkway that led up to the stadium along with the sandy ground created a warm atmosphere for the rest of the afternoon that was dwindling away.

With luck, Peony waved down a Flying Taxi cab outside the stadium. The man riding the Corviknight landed directly in front of him, permitting Peony to climb on. The transportation service had become more popular in the past couple of years. The cabs were constantly flying all around Galar.

“Where to?” the man asked once Peony settled down inside.

“Motostoke,” he sighed, saying the word with difficulty.

At the start of the new season, a new Gym Leader would be coming to Galar this year. Peony had been asked by members of the League staff to show him around since they were around the same age, and Peony was well known for being kind and likeable. Peony had excitedly accepted the offer, appreciating the chance to get acquainted with a new Gym Leader. The only issue was that the new Leader would be taking over the Motostoke Gym, meaning Peony would have to pay a visit back home. Spending one afternoon in his hometown probably wouldn’t cause anything horrible to happen, but Peony couldn’t stop worrying about running into someone from his past.

The serenity above the clouds in Galar allowed Peony’s mind to wander aimlessly while he stared out the window. Before he was told about the new member who would be joining the League, he wasn’t aware that Motostoke Stadium was short of a Gym Leader and that they had spent some time looking for a replacement. Peony felt conflicted on whether he should feel upset that he didn’t know the news. He figured that he should’ve known about the situation given that he was also a Gym Leader. At the same time, he couldn’t deny the feeling of relief he had after he realized that he’d finally distanced himself from his hometown the way he had wanted to do his whole life. His comfort mixed with his guilt didn’t create a good combination.

At the end of his trip, Peony landed in front of the Motostoke Pokemon Center, the most recognizable landmark in the city. He hopped off the cab and started making his way to the train station where he would be meeting his new acquaintance and introducing him to the city.

Even though he hadn’t set foot in the city in years, Peony had no trouble remembering which way to go to reach his destination. The familiar buzzing of a busy afternoon in Motostoke helped him remember what it used to feel like to freely roam the city.

Peony walked briskly along the famed cobblestone pathways, partly due to the fact that he was already late, but also using his tardiness as an excuse to avoid getting stopped or being recognized by anyone who he didn’t want to see.

While weaving his way through the crowds of people, his worst fears became a reality once he heard someone call out his name. He looked over his shoulder to identify the voice and relaxed slightly when he didn’t recognize the matching face. The two young men who had gotten his attention explained that they were fans of his who wanted an autograph which Peony was happy to give out.

As Peony started walking away, resuming his path in the same direction, he heard one of his fans whisper, “What’s Peony doing in Motostoke?”

Peony had to push down the smile that threatened to appear on his face. The comment had been so trivial and frivolous, but Peony felt relieved that people didn’t associate him with the city that he resented so much. Very few people even knew that Peony was originally from the city. Starting his public career and rising to fame in Stow-on-Side had helped with that, and he intended to keep it that way.

Peony finally entered the bustling train station, suddenly wondering how he would find one person in the crowd. Even more concerning, he realized a little too late that he had no idea what the new Gym Leader looked like, cursing at himself for not obtaining that crucial piece of information before he got into the situation. He was told that the leader was coming to Galar from the Hoenn region, but that didn’t help Peony decipher anyone in particular.

While looking around, absently tapping a finger to his chin in thought, Peony heard his name be called from another side of the station. The owner of the voice was sitting next to who he assumed to be the new Gym Leader. Peony made his way over, recognizing the other man as a League staff member.

“You’re late,” he chastised.

“Sorry,” Peony apologized. “Got caught up at the Gym.”

He stood up, and the man sitting next to him copied his actions. “Well in any case, you’re here now.” He took the other man’s luggage and other belongings in his arms. “Show him a good time.”

The League staff member walked away, leaving Peony in charge of directing the situation.

“So you’re the new guy from Hoenn, eh?” Peony greeted.

The young man looked up at him. His youthful, black eyes locked onto Peony’s green ones. The Gym Leader’s hair reflected the colour of his eyes. Wisps of flowing, dark hair were pushed back, framing the sides of his face. Peony wondered if his locks were as fluffy as they looked, having to restrain himself from reaching out and feeling them.

He was wearing a simple outfit: a plain red shirt and solid white shorts. His white running shoes and red knee-length socks matched the rest of his ensemble. Before Peony had spoken to him, he had had a far-off look on his face, like he was somewhere else mentally. He looked innocent and had an airy appearance and expression.

Standing in front of one another, Peony estimated that they were almost a foot apart in height. The way he carried himself and stood up so straight caused Peony to mirror his actions. He wished he had brushed himself up a little bit before meeting this man for the first time, suddenly caring desperately about making a perfect first impression. He hadn’t had time to change out of his sweaty Steel-type uniform before he left.

“Yes, I am,” he confirmed. “Nice to meet you. You’re Steel Peony. I’ve heard a lot about you. Although, I wasn’t expecting you to be as tall as a building.”

Peony decided to push past the last part of his introduction. The way he had spoken surprisingly didn’t offend Peony the way comments about his height normally did.

“Yup, that’s me. But I don’t know your name,” Peony admitted, feeling slightly embarrassed.

“Kabu,” he introduced, extending his hand for a proper, formal greeting. “Wow, that’s quite a grip you got there.”

“Well, they don’t call me ‘Steel Peony’ for nothin',” he smiled. “I have the pleasure of showing you around Motostoke. Try to keep up though, with those short legs of yours.”

The joke landed nicely, causing them both to laugh naturally, a good indication for how their new relationship would play out. Peony was thankful that Kabu could take a joke, as well as he could tell one. They could both tease and throw out quips just the right amount which would create an interesting relationship.

The new friends exited the station together into the warm afternoon to begin the extensive tour of one of the largest cities of Galar. Peony explained where their first stop on the tour would be before leading Kabu in the appropriate direction.

As Peony walked, Kabu jogged along beside him, with his eyebrows furrowed and looking somewhat blissful yet focussed. Peony had only been joking earlier with his comment about trying to keep up, but judging based on the way Kabu moved, this was normal behaviour for him. His steps were rhythmical and natural, judging based on the defined shapes of his calves that Peony occasionally caught himself staring at.

Peony decided to take Kabu to show him the exciting landmarks and other significant places around Motostoke. He started by introducing the simple places like the cafes, barber shops, and clothing stores that were essential for living in the city. He also showed Kabu the places where he liked to spend time when he was a child without directly mentioning his upbringing. They stopped by the river, near the heavy machines and spinning gears that kept the city functioning.

They decided to take a break from walking and jogging for a few minutes, sitting along the edge of the deep riverbank with their legs dangling over the sides.

“So, you’re a Gym Leader too?” Kabu inquired.

“Yeah, means you’ll be seeing more of me after today,” Peony explained.

He smiled slightly, “In which city?”

“Over in Stow-on-Side. Little bit farther up north from here. It’s the old, rustic town of Galar. Nice place to live for a Steel-type user like me. You could come visit me over there sometime,” Peony offered.

“That would be nice,” Kabu admitted. “How long have you been a Gym Leader for?”

He let out a deep breath, scrunching up his face as he made his best attempt to calculate his answer. “I think it’s been about...I want to say nine years? The time’s gone by so fast.”

“That’s funny. It’s been about the same amount of time for me,” Kabu commented.

“Really? Then we both started out young, eh?” Peony observed.

“Yeah, it’s nice that we have that in common,” he smiled.

The men continued to sit beside one another in a comfortable silence. The rushing water of the riverbank and the playful yelling and cheering of children served as ambient background noise for the both of them to enjoy a pleasant afternoon outdoors.

“Alright, time to get up,” Peony announced, jumping to his feet, clearly displaying his excited personality to his new companion. “Time to continue the adventure!”

His enthusiasm earned a laugh out of Kabu. The Gym Leaders left their spot behind to continue roaming the city. Peony decided to take Kabu to some of the popular street vendors that set up shop in the busiest parts of the city. They mingled around the area for a while, with a few more people stopping Peony to get the attention of the admired Gym Leader before they both moved on to their next activity.

“So, what brings you to Galar anyway?” Peony inquired, as they casually walked along the cobblestone pathway before arriving at their next destination. “You never said why you wanted to leave Hoenn if you were already a Gym Leader back home.”

“The league chairman reached out to me actually,” Kabu explained, “said they were looking for a new Gym Leader. Something about an official replacement position. I thought it would be a good opportunity for both my Pokemon and me to improve our skills, battling in a new region and all that. I know I’m almost thirty, but I don’t think that that should stop me, or anyone really, from taking risks. I know it sounds stupid because I was essentially already doing the same thing back home, but when opportunity knocks, I have to answer.”

“Wow, I don’t think that’s stupid at all. I think it’s actually really brave of you. Also a bit adventuristic I would say,” he mused. “I like that.”

Peony looked down at Kabu’s face, watching his cheeks turn as red as the colour of his shirt.

“It was just time to start the next chapter in my life, you know? That's why they call me ‘the ever-burning man of fire’,” Kabu said.

“What?” Peony laughed. “Who calls you that?”

“My friends and family back home,” he responded.

“Oh yeah, I’m sure they do,” Peony teased, unable to stop his laughter.

“It’s true. Maybe one day if you ever decide to visit Hoenn, I can be your tour guide there. There are some really nice hot springs that we could take you to,” Kabu offered.

“Oh, that sounds like fun,” he smirked.

A look of horrified realization washed over Kabu’s face. The amount of pink colouring on his face had doubled. “B-but not in that kind of way. I just meant that it-it’s a really popular tourist attraction is all.”

Peony titled his head back, releasing a deep laugh from his wide-open mouth. “Relax, I’m just teasin' ya. I think it’s gonna be fun having you around.”

“Thanks? I guess.” He exhaled a sigh of relief.

“Anyways,” Peony continued, “the final stop on our tour is going to be the stadium of course. We’ll have to get you a Gym Uniform too, but I’m sure the League staff will take care of that once we get there.”

“Uniform?” Kabu inquired.

“Yeah, all the Gym Leaders wear a different design that represents their type specialty,” he explained.

“Okay, I got it. You’re wearing the Steel-type uniform then?” Kabu asked.

Peony looked down at the combination of greens and greys he was wearing, tugging at the hem of his shirt like he was seeing the ensemble of shorts, socks, and trainers for the first time. “It sure is.”

“That, um, that outfit really brings out your eyes,” he stammered.

“What? Wow, that’s a first. I’ve never heard anyone say that before,” Peony laughed. Even though he caught Peony off guard, Kabu had made a keen observation. The sleek green stripes perfectly captured and accentuated the shining green colour of Peony’s eyes. “I’m sure once you get your outfit it’ll bring out your eyes too.”

While continuing to tease and laugh with one another, the Gym Leaders stepped on the platform of the old, rustic wheel of Motostoke. Peony explained its significance and popularity among the city as they were raised up to the higher level.

“How do you know so much about Motostoke anyway?” Kabu wondered. “Didn’t you say you were from Stow-on-Side?”

As they hopped off the platform, Peony’s chest started to feel heavy. He knew he couldn’t dodge the question, and he didn’t want to lie to Kabu, knowing that neither of them would appreciate it.

“I live in Stow-on-Side, but I’m not originally from there,” he admitted. “I was born and raised in Motostoke. I moved away when I became a Gym Leader. I usually don’t come back to visit. Today is the first day in years since I’ve even set foot in the city.”

Kabu looked up at Peony’s lowered head. He could read the grim expressions and signals on his face that appeared after he was forced to talk about the difficult subject.

“I’m sorry for asking,” Kabu apologized.

“It’s alright,” Peony said. “Regardless, I still had a lot of fun today.”

“Me too,” he agreed, showing off a bright smile that Peony instinctively mimicked.

After moving on from the sensitive subject, Kabu turned his attention towards the immense stadium that he was standing next to. The orange tints that covered the tiling reflected brightly in the sun. Crowds of people were mingling in front of the entrance and the surrounding areas, the sounds of their conversation creating a blending of noises.

“Once you head inside, there should be people who’ll help you get settled in with everything else,” Peony explained.

“So is this goodbye?” Kabu asked.

“I’m afraid it is,” he admitted. They stood in front of one another, unsure how to end their conversation. Peony wondered if a handshake was too formal and if a hug was too invasive, so he said, “Well, it was really nice meeting you.”

“Yeah, you too,” Kabu answered softly.

“I hope you enjoyed your tour,” Peony said.

He chuckled. “Yeah, it was great. You’re a wonderful tour guide.”

They smiled at each other, both of them unable to move and unwilling to walk away. The new friends stood in front of each other, staring at the other’s face in broad daylight.

Kabu ended up being the stronger of the two, eventually starting to inch closer to the entrance of the stadium, while Peony remained in place.

After Kabu disappeared behind the grand double doors of the stadium, Peony took that as his own cue to depart. He roamed the city alone, missing the short man’s company and presence at his side. He began strolling around in front of the hotels next to the stadium, trying to find an available Flying Taxi to take him back home.

He wondered if he had completely scared off his new friend when he had mentioned his own baggage and insecurities and if he would ever get to experience that companionship again. An unusual feeling consumed him. Peony couldn’t shake the feeling as he tried his hardest to push away the new emotions that were too surreal to handle. He had only known Kabu for half of one day. They had split apart only moments ago, and yet he had never longed so deeply or craved so desperately to be by someone’s side before.

* * *

The sounds of the rows of fans buzzed through the walls and into the locker room, forcing Peony’s worries to run wild. He paced up and down the floor, performing the action that he knew was one of the only ways to calm himself down. Peony had discovered his technique worked as an effective coping mechanism when he had been in the exact position ten years ago. In just a few minutes, he would be competing for the position of Galar’s Champion.

Peony was not the same person now that he was ten years ago. He had changed and evolved, but that didn’t stop him from reducing back to the same pile of nerves that he had been as a teenager.

Up until a few years ago, Peony didn’t qualify to compete in the Champion Cup at all. Once the Stow-on-Side Gym had found its way out of the minor division a couple years back thanks to Peony’s hard work and popularity, he had become a contender and had returned to compete every year since. After a decade, Peony finally had another opportunity to prove his talent and skill to the entire region and claim the title of Champion.

Over the years, Peony had gotten used to the pressures of being in the stadium and how not to let the stress and pressure get to his head. The reason for Peony’s current nervous state was that this was the specific year where he would have another chance to redeem himself. Ten was such a strong, bold, and clean number and he got the feeling that he wasn’t competing against the Champion this year just as a coincidence.

If Peony were an optimist, he wouldn’t be so worried. To him, the situation would be a final product of all the training he had done over the years finally coming together and paying off. Since Peony had known a great deal of personal suffering in his life, he couldn’t help but feel as if the universe were playing a cruel trick on him, wanting and waiting for him to be defeated again in the same humiliating way.

Peony was so wrapped up in his own mind that he jumped in fear when he heard the doors that lead to the foyer of the stadium open. Peony spun around, snapping his neck to see a gleeful man standing in the doorway grinning from ear to ear.

“I can’t believe I just made my six-foot-four boyfriend jump out of his skin,” Kabu laughed.

The Fire-type Gym Leader walked over to Peony, looking pleased and satisfied. Standing in front of Peony, Kabu pushed himself up on the tips of his toes to give Peony a quick peck on the lips as a means of encouragement.

“What are you doin' here?” Peony asked.

“I came to check up on you,” Kabu stated, “and it’s a good thing I did. You look like a hot mess. Are you okay?”

“I’m so fuckin' nervous,” he confessed. Kabu lowered himself and wrapped his arms around his boyfriend’s waist, resting his head on his chest. “I thought things would be easier this time than they were ten years ago, but I’m still just a pile of nerves.”

“You’re gonna be amazing,” Kabu reassured him. “Don’t forget, this time you’ll have me cheering you on from the sidelines from start to finish.”

Peony engulfed Kabu’s back in his arms, reciprocating the hug. He kissed the top of Kabu’s head and took a guilty-pleasure whiff of the soft, silky hair that smelt like citrus. “I’m so lucky to have you,” he mumbled into the layers of his hair.

The men stayed in their positions for a few more moments, lingering and taking joy and contentment in the sensations and feelings of being close with each other. Kabu looked up at Peony, a small smile and a twinkle in his dark eyes decorating his face, with Peony looking back, the same expression on his facial features.

Kabu’s plan had succeeded; Peony felt calm and serene instantly.

“How'd your match go? I didn’t get to watch,” Peony wondered, after finally pulling away.

While being caught up in his own issues, Peony hadn’t had a chance to witness any of the matches in the previous rounds that took place before his. He had only thought to ask now that he was more focussed and because the conversation would serve as an adequate distraction from his upcoming battle.

“Lost in the first round,” Kabu admitted, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. “It’s alright. Kind of makes sense for someone who’s been a member of the League for only ten months. I’ll work at it again and improve for next year where I might be battling you, our new Champion.”

Peony laughed with a mixture of nervousness and authenticity. “I don’t know about that.”

“Well I do,” Kabu decided. “I’ve watched how hard you’ve always trained and practiced for the past six months that we’ve been dating, and I know you’re going to win.”

With a loving smile on his face, Peony pulled Kabu in for another hug, tightly squeezing his firm back muscles. Peony could feel the Fire-type Gym Leader giggling slightly against his chest as his shoulders moved up and down.

The moment they shared was short, pulling away from each other, as soon as a member of the League staff entered the room to let Peony know that he would be facing the Champion in two minutes.

“Good luck out there,” Kabu smiled. “Next time I see you, you’re going to be the Champion of the Galar region. And don’t even try to disagree with me.”

Peony pressed his lips together as he watched his boyfriend who had gotten the last word walk out the door. The image of his bright, fiery smile lingered in his mind and gave him motivation for his upcoming match.

Before passing through the double doors, Peony stuck his right hand in the pocket of the shorts of his uniform. He played with the six PokeBalls, slipping them through his fingers, performing the good-luck charm he had developed over the years.

With one final deep breath, he exited the locker room and walked to the edge of the stadium’s tunnel. He listened to the announcer’s introduction, impatiently bouncing his leg up and down, waiting for his name to be declared and for him to make his debut.

Stepping onto the field, the grass felt delicate underneath his feet. When he paid close enough attention, he could hear the way the blades rustled against the soles of his shoes. The applause and cheers from the sea of spectators drowned out his earlier peacefulness and serenity, forcing him to pay attention to the roaring environment. The expression on his face was a complete contrast to the smiles he had just shared with Kabu. He looked straight ahead, his gaze as sturdy as his Steel-type Pokemon. His fists were balled at his sides, his knuckles slowly turning white from the tension. The inside of his mouth was quickly going dry. Peony tried his best not to show how nervous he was inside, and show off how determined he was instead.

Once he reached his position in the center of the field, he looked up into the stands, offering friendly waves and smiles to his fans, showing off his more upbeat side that people had come to know of him as a Gym Leader. The enthusiasm and cheers that he received helped him feel confident and determined.

While Peony was greeting the viewers in the stands, he listened to the announcement which indicated that his opponent would be making his appearance. Once Peony saw him, he felt embarrassed about how much he had been panicking earlier.

Mustard entered the pitch at his own pace, hunched over with his arms dangling by his sides, taking small steps to reach the circle in the center. He covered himself with a long-sleeve sweater that he was unexpectedly wearing in the summer heat. The thick material didn’t conceal his body as much as it should have. He had clearly lost body mass in his old age and looked much thinner compared to the amount of bulk that he used to carry with himself. His signature beard had become longer and untrimmed. Every part of his face was a display of wrinkles.

Mustard’s outward appearance had changed in recent years to match his altered personality. The press reported more instances and stories of the Galarian Champion goofing off, performing outlandish public stunts that showed off a more childish side compared to ten years ago when everyone tensed up when he entered a room. He still had fans that were cheering for him today, but he undoubtedly had lost some supporters over time.

“Here we are. Again,” Peony stated once the old man had reached his position, having enough confidence and bravery to start a conversation with his opponent, unlike when he was a shy teenager.

“Don’t get too smug, boy,” Mustard warned.

After he stated his final words, the Champion turned around and made his way to his end of the pitch. Both competitors waited for the referee to signal the start of the match before they each sent out their first Pokemon.

The battle between a top Gym Leader and the Champion was nothing less than epic. Their battle was similar to how the events played out the first time, but that didn’t mean their competition still wasn’t as exciting and exhilarating. Memories of Peony’s first battle with Mustard came back to him slowly throughout the battle whenever he would catch the Champion in the act of using the same strategies and techniques, allowing Peony to use this to his advantage to take down the members of Mustard’s team.

Peony had learned not to repeat the same mistakes twice. The strategies that he had devised were impeccable and flawless. He worked fervently alongside his Pokemon to achieve his biggest goal in life. He’d worked out solutions where he had struggled the first time, implementing counter attacks into his strategies to cover up his weak points.

The roaring from the crowd certainly helped Peony’s confidence and ability. He knew that Kabu was out there somewhere too cheering him on wanting to see him succeed.

Peony occasionally caught glimpses of Mustard from the other side of the field. Even though Peony had the beneficial experience of having previously battled Mustard and knowing his techniques, he still had to remain vigilant. He wondered if the soft, innocent look on the old man’s face was a cover-up and if he was planning to reveal a greater plan. The battle wasn’t over until it was over.

Naturally, the battle came down to another one-on-one match, the way all high-intensity battles against the Champion tend to do. Peony knew he had to finish his battle with Copperajah. He was worried that his sentimental view would prevent him from claiming the title, but if he couldn’t win with his first partner Pokemon, then he didn’t want to win at all. He tossed forward his PokeBall and in a flash of light his oldest friend materialized in front of him.

Peony wasted no time calling out commands and attacks, which Copperajah followed down to the last detail. Trainer and Pokemon worked perfectly in sync, refusing to give up their position of victory. The two of them had spent an endless amount of time together, learning how to communicate with each other both in and out of battle. Peony had created a bond together with his Pokemon from the moment they first met that had continued to last over decades. He couldn’t imagine how he would be able to win this match without Copperajah by his side. He would never understand what Mustard had gone through when he had lost his partner Pokemon, causing him to lose his strength and belief in himself and his abilities.

Mustard’s exhaustion from this extensive battle and the duties he’d had as Champion had worked in Peony’s favour. After a long, hard battle, Peony became the newest Champion of the Galar region.

His arms shot into the sky, waving to the viewers in the stands, to everyone who was watching at home, and to the entire region who would now know his name and never forget it. Peony had made history.

A League staff member entered the field where confetti had begun raining down. He handed Peony a pure golden trophy with a sculpted large PokeBall sitting on top. He held his prize triumphantly above his head as he was swarmed by reporters and camera attacking him from every angle. After they were all satisfied with their images for the front-page news that would detail the historic event, Peony was ushered away back to the locker room.

He passed through the stadium’s tunnel to reach the room where he would be offered a brief moment of privacy before facing more reporters and cheering fans. When he entered, his eyes immediately fell upon the Fire-type Gym Leader who had been restlessly waiting to see him.

Without any hesitation, Kabu flung himself towards his boyfriend, throwing his arms over his neck where Peony buried his face, leaving a trail of kisses. Peony squeezed him tightly, feeling Kabu’s back muscles that were as tough as stone.

His boyfriend was the first person to personally congratulate him on his win, and Peony couldn’t think of a better way to start his new career. His victory had already been exhilarating, but with Kabu there, who was just as excited to celebrate it with him, everything was much more special.

Standing where he stood ten years ago, after being defeated, he didn’t let himself cry, trying his hardest not to show weakness. After every part of his life had changed, he figured that allowing a few tears to fall down his face would be acceptable.

“I told you! I fucking told you!” Kabu howled, repeating the phrase multiple times.

“You did,” Peony agreed, his breath shaking as he smiled as bright as the sun.

With all the adrenaline running through his veins in his state of euphoria, the new Champion’s hands travelled down the Fire-type Gym Leader’s body, securing them below his ass before swiftly lifting him up off the ground.

Feeling blissful after being pulled off the ground, Kabu pressed his lips against Peony’s. The kiss was deep, passionate, worthy for a victory. Peony’s mind went hazy, losing himself in the sensual softness and wetness of Kabu’s lips. Peony leaned into the kiss, opening his mouth and pushing his tongue forward, being eagerly and pleasantly received by Kabu.

With Kabu up in the air, the kiss they shared was bound to feel magical. He melted into the kiss, revelling at the same time at sensations he felt at Peony’s hands underneath his ass. His enormous hands cupped the firm muscle and skin of the Gym Leader’s ass cheeks. While paying attention to the pleasurable kiss and focussing on holding up Kabu, Peony ran his hands all around the skin through his shorts.

When the Champion reached his limit, he finally released his boyfriend, shaking his arms afterward and marvelling at the strength that the short man carried with himself.

“That’ll be a moment I never forget,” Peony smirked.

“You’re going to be an amazing Champion, Peony,” Kabu confirmed.

Peony smiled at him, with nothing but pure love in his eyes. He bent down and gave Kabu another lingering kiss.

“I can’t wait,” he agreed. “I can’t wait to see what happens with you by my side. The world isn’t ready for us yet.”

After Peony changed out of his uniform, having Kabu as an audience, the two of them exited the locker room, and greeted the world that was waiting for them in the stadium’s foyer.

In the blink of an eye, Peony was swarmed by the largest crowd of people that he’d ever seen at one time. He looked around at everyone screaming his name, shouting out compliments, trying their best to gain his attention. He tried to indulge his fans as much as he could before being escorted away by members of the League staff to the stadium’s exit.

The sun was beginning to set outside, indicating the start of the early evening, but Peony still had more events planned. He looked up at the sky, admiring the natural mixture of reds and oranges. He reached for Kabu’s hand as he was standing next to him, gently lacing their fingers together. Peony looked at Kabu who had a similar blissful expression on his face.

“So, what now, Champion?” Kabu wondered. “The night has only barely begun.”

Before Peony could fathom a response, he learned that the crowd of fans outside the stadium were just as unrelenting and wouldn’t give up. Both he and Kabu were approached by fans who all wanted to grab his attention and congratulate him on his victory.

“Hey, Peony. Congrats on the victory.” A man about his age stood at the front of the large group of people.

“Thank you,” Peony said.

“We’re having a party down the road at one of the hotels in the city, and we’d love it if you would come. If you don’t have any plans to celebrate already,” he offered.

Peony didn’t have any objections and neither did Kabu, judging based on his determined expression.

“Might as well,” Kabu decided. “What a better way to celebrate.”

The man led the Champion, the Gym Leader, and the other followers of the crowd to the location of the celebration. Peony and Kabu walked along, continuing to firmly hold each other’s hand in the busyness of the environment to avoid getting separated from one another, while also finding comfort in the simple action.

A sea of fans and admirers were already present in the hotel’s event room, anticipating the Champion’s arrival. Once Peony had entered, everyone cheered and shouted passionately, giving Peony a sufficient warm welcome.

The rest of the events of the night went by in a blur. Peony unapologetically partied throughout the night, losing himself in the ambience of the event as he drank, danced, and did whatever his heart wanted to do. He lost track of how many compliments and words of praise he received because of his accomplishments, his talent, and his skills.

Peony was happy. No other way to put it. Not just from that night, but he was happier than he had ever been in his entire life.

He was in love. He had a loving relationship, something he never thought he would have, with someone who he loves endlessly. Kabu stuck by his side the entire night. In his intoxicated state, Peony could only catch blurred glimpses of Kabu, but he knew in his heart that no matter what that man loved him deeply and that he loved him equally.

After a certain point, Peony started smiling, and he never stopped. He laughed and grinned so brightly and intensely throughout the course of the night that his cheekbones and face muscles began to hurt from the strain.

Once the hurting started, it didn’t stop.

If it were up to Peony, the night never would have come to an end. He was prepared to stay in the company of strangers. He was finally convinced to go back home when everyone else had left the party, and he was left alone.

Kabu had left hours ago completely exhausted, leaving Peony to mingle and socialize with anyone around him. Everyone wanted the Champion’s attention, so he didn’t have trouble finding somebody who was willing to talk to him.

Peony was reluctantly forced to go back home around four or five in the morning. Once he saw the sun coming up again that he hadn’t seen since the start of the extended party, he knew he needed to put an end to the celebration. Nothing lasts forever, not even the euphoric state he had been in all night.

Thankfully, a Flying Taxi was available to take him back home. The driver had jumped at the opportunity to service the Champion.

On his way back home, Peony blissfully watched the peaceful early sunrise. The sky was filled and mixed with every shade of orange and yellow imaginable. He slouched back in his seat, having a partial view of the scene since the brightness of the sun was too harsh to look at considering how groggy and sluggish Peony was feeling. He clung tightly to his Championship trophy that he’d remembered to take with him.

He entered his home. The one-story house that he’d lived in for ten years looked as simple as it did now compared to when he’d first moved in.

Peony trudged over to the living room, placing his trophy on the coffee table in front of him before falling backwards onto his couch. He started at the piece of metal as if he were trying to drive a hole into it with his mind.

“It’s just a piece of metal. What’s so special about it anyway?” he asked himself.

When Peony was finally surrounded by the silence of his own home, the small scrawny home that he had barely been able to afford years ago, he was rudely reminded of who he really was. He never realized how small his house was until now. He ended up feeling small by association. He didn’t feel like he was living like the new Champion.

The parties were over. Peony was coming down from the high. The effects of all the adrenaline were wearing off. Peony wondered why he didn’t feel as accomplished and as proud of himself as he thought he would after he achieved his goal.

The only cause he could think of for his disillusionment was Rose.

Peony had gone farther in the Gym Challenge than Rose ever had. He had accomplished something that Rose failed at, but he doesn’t feel satisfied at all. He won the battle against Mustard, but he doesn’t feel like he’s really won. Peony wondered if becoming Champion was really his goal or if he had gotten lost along the way in trying to prove himself. He began to feel that sense of dread that was so familiar to him. Feeling like no matter what he did, Peony would always be living in Rose’s shadow.

The chirping of the early-morning Rookidees reminded him of how late it was. Peony was exhausted from both the match and the events of the night, forcing himself to walk over to his bedroom and lie down on his bed, even though he was nowhere near falling asleep.

Peony continued reassuring and reasoning with himself. He reasoned that he arguably had to work harder than Rose because he had twice as much stacked up against him. He had been more dedicated than Rose to all of this from the start. He had to earn his own money to enter himself, and then he trained enough so he could get farther in the Champion Cup. He worked as a Gym Leader for ten years. He perfected his skills. He made a whole career out of nothing.

He deserved to be happy and be proud of everything that he’s worked for.

He never thought he’d get to where he was. He was finally at a good place in his life. 

For the first time, he was looking to the future with hope and not with disdain. Tomorrow is a new day, a day where he is the Champion, a day filled with challenges just like any other, but Peony is willing to face those challenges head-on, without a drop of fear or hesitation in his blood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> even when rose isn't in the chapter, he finds a way to be in the chapter.
> 
> so sorry for not updating this sooner. it was a really long chapter that i didn't expect would take me this long to write. even more sad news is that i've started school again so updates might not be as frequent :(
> 
> i hope you all enjoyed reading and loved seeing these two together as much as i did. if you want look up "young kabu and peony" to get a better idea of how i pictured the younger versions of them.


	4. Every Rose Has Its Thorns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _He was even Champion once, but shortly afterward, Rose became League Chairman. This caused Peony to vanish entirely from the League._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i loved writing this chapter because it was one of the original ideas i had when i made the outline for this fic and i've been waiting for so long to write it
> 
> i keep forgetting that these characters are meant to be british and i've realized that a little bit too late but i tried my best to incorporate that a little bit in the dialogue in this chapter

Having a new Champion in Galar after so many years had everyone in the region excited. Peony had been Champion for a little over a year now, and he loved his job more every day. Even with all of the pressure of being a proud Galarian icon, he was adjusting well to his new life, especially since he was the one who officially ended the previous Champion’s reign after 18 years. He wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. He had been the one to accomplish what Trainers in Galar and other regions only hoped and dreamed of doing one day.

Peony used to be one of Galar’s most popular Gym Leaders, but the way he acted as Champion was the closest reality that Galar ever had to having their own royalty. Peony always carried himself with abundant amounts of confidence everywhere he went. Fortunately, the amounts of new fame that he had acquired in the past year didn’t go to his head. Peony still resided in the same humble home in Stow-on-Side where a new Gym Leader had taken over his old position at the Gym.

With his new status, Peony was very pleased with the fact that fewer people were coming to know him as Rose’s brother. The separation and distinction had secretly been one of the best parts about his fame. As the years had gone by during his time as a Gym Leader, the comparisons and off-handed comments had slowly started to dwindle down, but now that Peony was the strongest Trainer in all of Galar, the region’s full attention was on him and him alone.

Rose hadn’t made many public appearances since his defeat and loss during his own Gym Challenge. After that had ended, the region moved on to fawn over the next new Pokemon Trainer prodigy, and Peony had been thankful and grateful for all of that. Since he obviously never mentioned his brother in interviews or any other public statements if he could help it, eventually most people stopped asking. As it turns out, Peony had become the more popular, more likeable sibling.

During the current off season of the Gym Challenge, Peony was free to relax and spend his days in any way that he desired. He would have to adjust quite a bit and revert back to his rigid schedule when his Champion duties officially started, including going over all of the rules he had to follow and adhere to as the symbol of the region. When the Gym Challenge would start up again in a few weeks, the majority of Peony’s work would involve regular public appearances, including travelling to other regions as a representative of Galar.

On a hot, scorching day, Peony found himself casually walking around town during the afternoon. The sun was at the highest point in the sky, creating summertime heat that beat down on the small town, but the residents didn’t seem to mind. The outdoor businesses and shops were operating as usual. Groups of children ran around gleefully playing hopscotch and other games.

The colours of Stow-on-Side’s famous ancient mural reflected and brightened in the sun while tourists stood in front of the art posing for and taking pictures. Peony wandered up the stairs to his favourite location in the city where he was expectedly and immediately approached by fans who were all seeking his attention.

The crowd demanded that Peony give them autographs and take pictures which he happily granted. As he fulfilled each request, the large group started to dissipate as more people walked away.

He was making small talk with one of the last few people, signing his signature on a loose piece of paper. The man who had requested the autograph seemed to be only a few years older than Peony.

“There you go,” Peony offered, passing back the paper.

“Thank you so much. I never thought I’d ever get to meet the Champion,” he said.

“Aw, well, never say never,” Peony smiled.

“I work with your brother, actually,” the man admitted.

The air became tense. This was one of those conversations where his ears rang with every word that the other person said, and they were usually about Rose.

He had to remind himself to remain casual and positive. He was in public and had an image to maintain.

“Oh, really?” Peony managed. He winced at his high-pitched voice and the dryness creeping up in his throat.

“Yeah, he says you two don’t talk that much anymore though,” the man continued.

“Oh, well, the life of a Champion can get busy,” Peony excused.

“Yeah, I’m sure it does,” he agreed. “Next time I see him I’ll say hi for you.”

That was the last thing that he wanted. The man walked away, and Peony slowly diverted his attention to the remaining fans where he tried his best to smile for pictures and prevent his shaky hands from messing up autographs.

After he was done tending to the crowd, he rushed back to his home, no longer wishing to be out in public or to be seen by anyone.

On his way back, he thought to himself about the last time that he had heard from Rose. He wondered if Rose was still working in the mines, or if he had found some kind of menial desk job working for a corporate company.

Peony reached his house shortly, unlocking the door and entering before he could be stopped by anyone else. In the comfort of his own home, Peony decided to spend the rest of the afternoon by himself, knowing that he’ll wish he had taken up the opportunity to relax once the League started up again.

He mingled around his house, going about his business. He had the TV playing in the background as usual since living alone was painfully quiet most of the time.

Peony sat on his couch with his sewing materials in hand, slowly starting to feel calmer. Most days, he spent his time off sewing clothes. His current project consisted of him attempting to create an outfit for himself to wear as Champion, both during battles and off field. He’d been trying to create a signature style for himself to give him a more bold image.

Sewing was an old skill that Peony had had to learn back when he couldn’t always afford to buy new clothes, and he’d had to make or repair his own. He’d earned enough money as Champion thanks to sponsorships and his earnings from winning matches, but sewing would always be a skill he would have. Now he could put his sewing skills to good use in his free time as a relaxing hobby and to keep his creativity alive.

Pulling him out of his focus, a sudden announcement on the news channel grabbed his attention. “In regards to news for the upcoming Gym Challenge, the league chairman has announced that he will be stepping down from his position and will not be returning to oversee the annual event this year.”

Peony was dumbfounded. He’d had no idea about any of this. He felt hurt and betrayed that he had to find out this way. As Champion, and as someone who worked closely with the chairman, he felt obligated to know this kind of information before it was made public. He would be introduced to the new Chairman at the same time as the rest of the region.

The news anchor continued reading from her notes. “The chairman is appointing the esteemed position to one of his closest, most loyal League employees. He is here with us in the studio today, prepared to make his debut and address the people of Galar. Please welcome the chairman’s successor, Chairman Rose.”

Peony sat frozen in place. He watched Rose appear on screen and walk up to a podium, waving proudly to every camera that was pointed at him. The veins in Peony’s neck and forehead were sticking out, and his fists wrapped tightly around the sewing materials in his hands, his knuckles turning white. Peony was witnessing a horrid reality, and yet he couldn’t take his eyes away.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I am Rose, the new chairman of the Pokemon League. I am very thankful to be standing here speaking to you today, and I hope to be able to continue to do so for many more years to come.”

Peony wanted to change the channel. He couldn’t bring himself to listen to Rose address the region in that fake, optimistic tone that he put on. His focus faded in and out on different parts of Rose’s excruciatingly long speech. Part of him was telling him to stop watching, that it wasn’t doing him any favours, but another part of him couldn’t look away no matter how hard he tried.

“The Gym Challenge is only weeks away, and that means that there are many things that I, myself, and the other League staff members have to put our effort into. As League Chairman, I promise to bring innovation and creativity not only to the Gym Challenge but to all of Galar.”

Rose walked away and off screen as uproarious applause took over. Peony finally turned the TV off, fearing receiving any more bad news.

He shot up out of his seat and began pacing his living room, trying to figure out how to handle this.

In his thinking, he decided that he was furious, more than anything. His fury overpowered his fear, shock, and helplessness, and that was enough to get him in a Flying Taxi an hour later on his way to the Pokemon League headquarters.

He didn’t know if Rose would have moved into the office on the same day, but this was Peony’s best shot at tracking him down. If he stayed in his house, he would continue to spiral uncontrollably.

As if the situation couldn’t get any worse, Peony had to go back to Motostoke where the unofficial central location for the League was. All of the buildings and workplaces operated there. Even the opening ceremonies for the Gym Challenge were held in Motostoke stadium. With all of the emotions swirling inside of him at the current moment, Peony didn’t care to actively resent the city while he was there. He had more pressing matters on his mind.

Peony burst through the front doors, leading to the foyer of the building. As the day was winding down, very few employees were left to do their jobs, and the ones that were didn’t see anything suspicious in the Champion walking around.

The old buildings of Motostoke weren’t built with lifts, so Peony had to take several flights of stairs to reach the top of the building, running up the stairs two at a time as fast as possible.

Peony stood at the top of the stairs on the highest floor of the enormous building with his hands on his knees trying to catch his breath. Refusing to waste any time, he walked across the floor to where he knew the chairman’s office was located, hoping to find Rose in the same room.

Just as Peony was about to enter the office, a woman sitting at a desk to his right caught his eye. She was still working and doing her job at this late hour. The computer light illuminated her pale skin as she typed while sifting through a stack of papers before she looked up at Peony.

Her green eyes blinked sparsely as she opened her tightly woven mouth to speak to him. “I’m sorry. I’m afraid I can’t let you in to see the chairman. I’m Oleana, I’m the Chairman’s new secretary.”

The name sounded familiar. Peony wondered if she was the same woman that Rose had mentioned to him years ago. He was surprised he remembered her name.

Rather than be angry with Oleana’s roadblock, Peony received a newfound determination. She had just confirmed that Rose was, in fact, in his new office on the other side of those enticing translucent double doors.

“I’m his brother,” he stated sternly. “Here to congratulate him on...his promotion.”

He didn’t believe his own lie, but he desperately needed to get past those doors, now more than ever.

“I’m sure he’ll be happy to see you,” she permitted.

Peony didn’t know why Oleana let him in. He believed that she seemed smarter than she was letting on, but he wasn’t going to stand around and argue with her when he had come here to argue with Rose.

The chairman’s new office was littered with opened cardboard boxes containing papers, books, and other stationery tools. Peony furiously marched passed all of them to the other side of the room where his brother was sitting at his desk with his back turned, the top of his head being the only visible feature. He didn’t flinch when he had heard the door to his office burst open, nor did he flinch at Peony aggressively stomping up to him. Rather, the chairman was more focused on observing the Galar region below him. The sun was beginning to set and the floor-to-ceiling windows gave the room an orange glow.

Peony planted his hands on the cold, bare surface in between him and Rose. He leaned forward, waiting impatiently for any acknowledgement of his presence.

“How could you do this to me?” he demanded, after Rose didn’t move.

The chairman finally gave in and spun around in his chair to face his brother. He rudely didn’t stand up to greet his uninvited guest. Peony glared at Rose, looking down on him who didn’t waver at the daunting image of his younger brother.

In the time Rose took to voice a response, Peony observed his facial features. He hadn’t changed. He looked older, changing naturally as he aged, but his face was so relaxed, not a single wrinkle appeared on his face. His beard was clean shaven and trimmed. Like always, he sported shaved sides and an undercut with strands of hair parted over the side. His hands were placed in his lap, with one leg crossed over the other. He was wearing the same grey three-piece suit from his speech earlier today, wrinkle free, tailored, and brand new.

“Hello, dear brother.” His emerald eyes scanned Peony, detailing his appearance and expression. “I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re referring to.”

“Cut the bullshit, Rose,” Peony snapped, pushing himself away. For once, he willingly and satisfyingly skipped over the pleasantries and politeness that he had been forced to perform his entire life, especially around his brother. In his position, he didn’t want to waste any time, and he needed answers from Rose. “After I make a name for myself and distance myself from you, you pull this? You can’t handle not bein’ in the spotlight for one moment, can you? Everythin’ always has to be about you.”

Rose didn’t shift. He didn’t move a muscle in his entire body. Staying completely still, he said, “Honestly, Peony, when will you grow up? You think that everything’s about you? I applied for this job just like everybody else did. It’s not my fault if I’m the best at everything.”

The corner of his mouth turned up into a revealing smirk. He didn’t let on, but he knew that Peony was upset, and he wasn’t hiding the fact that he was being devious and using that to his advantage.

“No, no you’ve been in hidin’ for the past ten years!” Peony screamed. “And _now_ you decide that you want to make your grand entrance back into the League? And as the chairman no less. After I went and became Champion? I don’t think so. You didn’t even call to congratulate me when I won. You’re a condescendin’, evil piece of shit. If you think I’m going to be takin’ orders from you, you’re highly mistaken. You fuckin’ asshole.”

Rose shook his head in disappointment. “Is that any way to talk to your brother?”

“You’re not my brother.”

The roaring silence vibrated between the two of them. Rose contained his composure even after Peony shut him down and put his full anger and true self on display, but Peony could see that he had struck a nerve. He had wounded his brother, earning gratification. His anger and frustration were pouring out uncontrollably. Peony had only imagined a situation where he would say that to Rose, but he didn’t imagine a day would come where he ever told him that.

Peony was starting to feel less like the regal Galarian royalty that the region had made him out to be. He was showing a darker, uglier side of himself. Sadness and discontentment: the less favourable parts of being human, all coming from comparing himself. Being so uncharacteristic of the admired person who he had become in the past years felt awful. If anyone else saw him right now, his image would be ruined, but he couldn’t help himself. All rules were thrown out the window.

“How do you know what kind of Chairman I’m going to be? Hmm? I’ve only had this job for a day. You’re always so quick to assume the worst, Peony,” he chided.

“Because I know you,” he explained. “I know you’ve always wanted power and to be in charge, and you’ll do anything to get your hands on it.”

“If you know me, then trust me,” Rose said.

Rose wouldn’t gain anything from earning Peony’s trust, so he didn’t understand why he wanted it in the first place. Rose was looking at a bigger picture. He had a different reason inside his head for why he would be trying to get Peony on his side.

Peony threw his hands up in exasperation. He stood back and began pacing across the room. He chewed at his bottom lip in stress, running his hands over his head and face.

Peony needed to say something to fill the silence. Rose wouldn’t. He didn’t see anything wrong with the situation.

Peony wanted Rose to apologize and reprimand himself for everything he had ever done to him. He needed to get through to Rose, to get him to see things from his perspective, to shine light on all of his issues. He stopped pacing and looked directly at Rose who still didn’t seem deterred by Peony’s piercing green eyes. He didn’t know what he was saying or why he said it, but he needed to say something.

The calm person always had the advantage in an argument. They were less likely to make a fool of themselves, but Peony was too furious that he had to let loose.

“Do you know how much I’ve struggled to get to where I am today? You weren’t around for most of it, and I know you wouldn’t understand if I told you what it’s like to become a Gym Leader _and_ the Champion, all while being dark skinned. Everything in life has been handed to you, and I’m sure this job was too because everyone loves you. You were the favourite child. Don’t try to deny it. Did Mum already call you to say congrats? I bet she did.” He walked back up to Rose’s desk again looking at his with a cold expression, lowering his voice. “Do you know how hard it is to have to earn someone’s attention? Someone’s love? Somethin’ that should be unconditional? No, you’ll never know, because you’ve never had to compete against anyone.”

“Where is this even coming from?” he asked incredulously.

His lack of a good response or even an attempt at an apology made Peony realize that he was gaining the upper hand.

“Don’t act thick, Rose,” he laughed dryly. “This has been a long time comin’. Don’t act like things have been fine between us.”

“How can you say that I’ve never known what it’s like to work hard? We’re cut from the same cloth you and I, whether you like it or not. You want to talk about how you’re such a prestigious Pokemon Trainer? Sorry, but you’re not the only one. The only difference between us is that I had to grow up faster. I had to stop filling my head with silly fantasies. I got a real job that I earned and worked for, thank you very much. You’re no better than I am.”

All of Peony’s worst fears had been confirmed. His delusions crumbled before him. His jealousy was getting the better of him. His head hung low. His fist slowly balled up at his side, his body shaking with uncertainty.

“Fuck you,” he spat. “I’m the fuckin’ Champion. We used to have the same goal, but I was willing to work for it, and I achieved it. I got to where you never could.”

His words didn’t sound as convincing as Rose’s arguments did. His voice was wavering. He couldn’t even believe in himself that the things he was saying were true.

“I caught your first Pokemon for you. You should be grateful. Don’t forget, I got you where you are today,” Rose said.

“And you’ve done nothing but belittle me and taunt me since then,” Peony countered.

“I’m the one who believed in you from the start. I always have,” he shouted, defending himself.

He was finally beginning to show some emotion. Rose raised his voice only at the moment where his loyalty had been questioned.

“Where was that support when I needed it most?" Peony demanded. "When I had lost all hope and was ready to give up on everything, you were nowhere to be found.”

“Life gets busy,” Rose answered.

Peony scoffed. “Bullshit.” He looked away from Rose and up at the ceiling for some potential guidance and an answer to his question. “When life gets busy, if I can’t rely on my big brother, then who can I rely on?”

Rose was silent, lips stretched thin, looking down at his hands in his lap, thinking to himself deep in thought.

“I can’t believe I used to look up to you.” Peony shook his head in embarrassment, his voice barely above a whisper. “Watchin’ you compete and battle on TV, I used to think that my big brother was the smartest, strongest, kindest person in all of Galar.” Rose let a soft smile appear on his face, letting his guard down before Peony dropped a bomb on him. “But if I could take back every nice thing I ever said about you, I would.”

Rose’s expressionless face was drastic and contrasted to how Peony imagined he would react. He wasn’t completely calm, but he wasn’t visibly enraged or offended in the way that Peony thought he would be.

Peony knew that they could’ve continued arguing and going around in circles. He could feel all of his emotions getting stuck inside his throat, and if he were to stay any longer, they would pour out uncontrollably. His strength was wearing thin. He didn’t want to spend his night feeling bad and sorry for himself. Surprisingly, yelling at his brother didn’t make him feel any better in the end.

Before Rose could get another chance to speak and defend himself, Peony took Rose’s shock and silence as his signal to leave without another word. Peony had made his point abundantly clear, and he wanted Rose to be left with that.

Outside the office, Peony noticed Oleana who had moved to lean against her desk from where she was sitting when he had first entered. Her piercing emerald eyes were firmly fixated on Peony. He briefly wondered if she had been eavesdropping and was now trying to play it off casually, or if she had been patiently waiting for Peony to exit so she could confront him about the way he had treated Rose.

He wanted to walk away without saying anything. He didn’t _have_ anything to say to her in the first place. He wouldn’t even know _what_ to say if Oleana had asked him any questions. He stared at her blankly.

“That didn’t sound like congratulations,” Oleana commented.

He knew that she had heard everything and how that must have changed how she thought about him. Refusing to worsen his Champion reputation, he walked past her without saying a word. Oleana didn’t do anything wrong after all. If anything, Peony pitied her that she now had to work alongside Rose.

Rose, who was nothing if not persuasive, had always had a way with words. He knew how to get what he wanted, mainly by talking people into it.

He also had a way of making his words stick in the mind’s of people who he met. Peony knew this because he’d been on the receiving end of it more than anyone else had. Making his way downstairs, he recalled the day where he had gotten his first Pokemon.

The memory seemed so distant to the point where Peony only remembered meeting his Cufant for the first time. He knew that Rose hadn’t randomly mentioned that day for nothing. The last day that Rose and Peony had truly acted like brothers, before Rose left to compete in the Gym Challenge.

This is what Rose did. He always held on to the past. He was trying to make Peony feel guilty for being angry and acting like a delinquent. Rose was desperately trying to go back to a different time when things were different than they are now. He refused to accept things for the way they were. Rose still saw Peony as an innocent, naive little boy because that was how Peony felt around him.

The clear, refreshing air outside the building washed over Peony. Inhaling fresh air helped him cool down. Looking out at the city in front of him, the images of the city were fading away with what little sunlight was left in the sky.

The nighttime scenery altered him to the fact that he needed to make his way back home soon. He didn’t realize how long he had been arguing with Rose.

Desperately seeking guidance, he took his cell phone out of his pocket. Roaming around in front of the building while he waited for an answer to his phone call. He took a few deep breaths, matching his rhythm with the steady ringing tones, so he wouldn’t lose his cool at Kabu when he answered.

“Hello?” he asked.

“Kabu, I—”

Peony didn’t know what to say. He had gotten distracted upon hearing the familiar sound of the other man’s voice. He had made no plan for what to say when Kabu answered; he just needed to call him.

“I saw the news,” Kabu supplied. “I’m assuming that’s what you’re calling to talk about.”

During their time as a couple, Kabu had come to learn about all of Peony’s baggage and history with his brother and the rest of his family to the point where he knew him well enough down to every detail that he could practically read his mind.

“Y-yeah,” Peony answered. He had been so focussed on dealing with Rose that he hadn’t realized how quickly the whole day had gone by. The entire region was probably aware of who the new league chairman was by now. “Are you busy right now?”

“No, it’s alright. You wanna come over?” he asked.

Peony couldn’t resist letting out a soft chuckle at his offer. He was so in love with this man who proved himself worthy time and time again.

“I’ll see you soon,” Peony responded. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Kabu repeated.

After nearly two years of dating, the Gym Leader and Champion still hadn’t moved in together. Peony had considered bringing up the discussion with Kabu more than once, but some circumstance had always stopped or prevented him from asking. He didn’t think he would ever be able to realize the dream of living with Kabu because Peony wanted to leave Galar entirely now that Rose was in power.

Peony ambled to Kabu’s house, aiming to arrive before the sky went completely dark. He didn’t want to pay for a Flying Taxi to travel in the same city. Travelling by foot would take more time, but Peony hoped that some exercise and fresh air would put him in a better mood.

He desperately wanted to see Kabu. Kabu was always so level-headed, and that’s what Peony needed more than ever right now. He needed someone to be straightforward with him and help him get through this.

When he arrived outside Kabu’s house, the sky had turned pitch black. He reached out and knocked on the door, waiting to be let in. His legs were turning to jelly after spending so much time walking and carrying himself across the city.

An amber light shone on Peony’s face when the Fire-type Gym Leader swiftly opened his door to see his boyfriend standing in front of him looking more miserable than he had ever seen him. Rather than greet him, Peony fell into the arms of his closest confidant. He wrapped his arms around him as tightly as he could and threatened to never let go. He tried to take in and soak up as much as he could of the shorter man, wanting to forget everything in the world except him.

Kabu tried his best to accommodate Peony’s large stature, attempting to hold him close as tightly as he possibly could. Peony always had a habit of teasing Kabu for his height, but none of that playfulness happened now. Peony simply buried his face onto Kabu’s shoulder who rubbed soothing circles on his back.

“It’s gonna be okay,” Kabu whispered in his ear.

“No, it’s not,” Peony protested weakly.

“I promise you it will be. C’mon. Come inside,” he offered.

Peony didn’t remember going upstairs, nor did he remember how he ended up sitting in Kabu’s lap on his bed with his head against his boyfriend’s chest. Kabu leaned back against the headboard, holding Peony in his arms who was taking small sips from a glass of water.

After Peony had finished his drink, and neither of them still hadn’t moved or talked, Kabu asked, “How are you feeling?”

“I don’t know,” Peony admitted. “I can’t stop thinking about this shit.”

“Talk to me then. Tell me what’s going on,” he offered.

“I just can’t stop thinkin’, and I’m so fuckin’ scared,” Peony whispered. “I don’t know how my life is going to change with him having so much power and control. He can do whatever he wants to ruin my life. He can control my entire life, from the way I speak even to the way I dress, and I’ll have no say in any of it.”

“I don’t know if he would be that drastic. All of that just sounds like his job as the chairman,” Kabu reasoned.

“No, no you don’t understand.” Peony pushed himself away from Kabu to sit on the bed cross-legged by himself with his boyfriend on his left. “He’s always wanted power and to be in charge. And I just know he’s going to use his position to get back at me, especially after what happened today.”

“What happened today?” Kabu interjected.

“I, er, went to go see him at the League building. And I kinda told him to his face all of the mean things that I’ve been wantin’ to say my whole life,” he explained.

“Peony,” Kabu sighed, disappointed.

“I know, it wasn’t the smartest move. But that’s the worst part about all of this. He could be plannin’ anythin’ behind the scenes, and I wouldn’t know. No one would know. It’s different bein’ the Champion than it is being a Gym Leader.” Kabu opened his mouth to interrupt but Peony continued, “Trust me. It is. He could force me to compete in a rigged match that he knows I would lose. It’s happened before. He could warp my public image to make it whatever he wants it to be, and I would have to follow to fit into that mould. I hate him so fuckin’ much. I’ve said awful things about him, behind his back and to his face. I don’t regret any of them, but if word gets out my rep as Champion is over. And what about when we have to be seen in public together. Just today, even before the news was announced, someone from his work came up to me, and I could barely get through that conversation. It’s gonna be so painful, like nearly impossible, havin’ to play nice with him with the whole region watchin’ us.

“I understand that the Champion job is hard. I knew that from the beginnin’, but this is just adding like, ten times the amount of pressure that I was prepared to deal with. It’s like I’m on thin ice. I can never act or do anythin’ without worryin’ how it’ll come back to bite me in the ass. I don’t think I’ll be able to deal with that.”

“Okay,” Kabu said slowly, “I think I’m beginning to understand.”

Peony put his hands in his face, exhausted. He could feel tears starting to form at the brim of his eyes, and he tried to keep them from falling.

“But hey.” Kabu reached out and gently placed a hand on Peony’s shoulder, causing him to look up at him. “We won’t let any of that happen. You have me to back you up and defend you against any ridiculous rules or orders. The other Gym Leaders would have your back too I’m sure of it. Man, the whole region has your back. Everyone loves their beloved Champion.”

All Peony could manage was a soft smile. “I know, but it still fuckin’ hurts. It’s so difficult. I just, I feel like I’m that same little kid again who went unnoticed half of the time and had to beg for attention. Growin’ up, I always just waited for the time where I could finally make a name for myself. It feels like I’m still trying to do that and no matter how hard I try, I’ll never be my own person.” He looked down, unable to make eye contact, fearing he would break down in tears if he did. “Things were so good for so long. I had everythin’ I ever wanted, and I should’ve known that it wouldn’t last forever.”

Kabu didn’t have a response to that. He looked at his boyfriend with desperation, wishing he had more power to help him get through this. The men sat there together in the lingering silence of Peony’s despair. After tearing himself apart and wearing his heart on his sleeve, Peony could no longer hold in his emotions or hold back his tears, and he began crying.

The city below them was quiet. His sobs were the only noise that filled the room while he clung tightly at Kabu, burying his face in between his boyfriend’s neck and collar bone. Kabu held Peony and rested his chin on his shoulder.

“I’m sorry I’m bein’ such a downer,” he sniffled, pulling away to palm his eyes. “I know this might all seem so stupid to you.”

“Not at all,” Kabu gazed into his red eyes and gently wiped away the tears underneath with his finger. “You’re struggling, and I want to be there to help.”

“I feel like such a loser. I can’t cope with one bad thing that comes my way, and I break down crying.” His voice was still quavering, his throat scratchy.

“You’re amazing,” Kabu complimented, without a beat of hesitation. “You’re an amazing Champion, an amazing boyfriend. I love you, Peony. Even if you weren’t the Champion, I would still love you.”

Even with praise coming from his favourite person in the world, Peony still felt defeated. “I don’t feel amazing. Definitely not tonight. I don’t feel worthy. I don’t feel like any of that.”

Kabu leaned forward, resting an elbow on Peony’s thigh, the other hand gently cupping his cheek. “You’re not just amazing. You have the most infectious, radiant smile that can light up an entire room. Looking into your green eyes is like getting lost in a forest.” Peony’s lips naturally turned upward slightly as he listened to his boyfriend continue. “You’ve always been so confident in yourself. From the day I met you, I’ve watched you live your life for yourself as if no one’s watching. I don’t think you should change that about yourself. You’re the Champion, Peony. You shouldn’t let your brother get in the way of you and your accomplishments.”

Kabu’s words rang in Peony’s ears. The statement wasn’t a new revelation. He was well aware of that. He’d been trying to grapple with it all day and his whole life, in fact. Even coming from the person who he loved and trusted more than anyone, he still wasn’t convinced of it. Just because he knew it, didn’t mean he could believe it.

When Peony didn’t respond to Kabu’s profound statement, the Gym Leader took that as his cue to officially get the both of them to settle down for the night after what was one of the most harrowing days Peony had had in a long time. Rather than sitting and staring at each other, Kabu gave Peony a lingering kiss on his cheek before he hopped off the bed and began getting ready for bed. He encouraged Peony to do the same, but all he did in preparation was strip down to his boxer briefs and crawl under the heavy duvet on the bed.

Kabu insisted that they could continue talking if Peony wanted to, but when the Fire-type Gym Leader fell asleep moments after his head hit the pillow, Peony knew that that offer was no longer an option. He wasn’t mad at Kabu, and this wasn’t the first time that this had happened. He was always glad and relieved that Kabu was able to rest.

As helpful and supportive as Kabu was, Peony was the only person who could help himself. Laying awake by himself in bed, Peony was once again completely and dangerously alone with his thoughts.

He didn’t get much sleep that night, but that was to be expected. He usually had trouble falling asleep anyways. He couldn’t remember the last time he had a steady sleep schedule. The fact that he still had a million thoughts racing through his head all at once tonight didn’t help either.

With both men lying on their sides, Peony watched Kabu as he slept, his chest steadily rising and falling. His own hand that was draped over Kabu’s back moved with the rhythm of his breathing. His face looked so soft when he wasn’t flexing his muscles the way he did when he was awake and always in deep thought and concentration.

The only sleep that Peony got throughout the night came from sporadically travelling in and out of consciousness against his own wishes. At first, he fell asleep easily in Kabu’s arms, but the problem was with staying asleep while being so anxious. He could only fall asleep for minutes at a time, getting in a full hour if he were lucky. His brain and body were rudely awake, constantly forcing him to spiral with bad ideas of possibilities of what his future looked like as Champion.

When Peony woke up and saw the early morning sun shining through the window, he had officially given up on trying to go back to sleep. Kabu was still asleep, a heavy sleeper and the exact opposite of Peony. They were different in so many other ways, but they had made a relationship work for over a year.

Peony started thinking about the first day where he had met Kabu. He thought about how Kabu must have felt when he had left his home to come to Galar. He had said that he was seeking new opportunities, but Kabu rarely ever spoke about home. He had to have been at least somewhat scared. Peony had never asked, but he figured that Kabu had his own issues going on back home. He didn’t want to pry open a sensitive subject, knowing from firsthand experience how hard it could be to talk about family issues.

Peony wasn’t going to move to another region. That felt like too drastic of an escape. Galar was his home and would always be his home.

Widening his eyes, naturally stretching out the muscles, and feeling more awake, Peony could clearly see his boyfriend still asleep in front of him, his mouth slightly open.

 _I can’t betray him and leave,_ Peony thought. _But he’ll understand._

Peony’s one-track mind was catching up to him and getting the better of him. He was so headstrong that he couldn’t see anything in his periphery. He couldn’t see anything outside of the situation with Rose.

In a moment of total clarity, he realized and understood what it really meant to be a Steel-type user. He played into his stubbornness and refusal to be controlled. He was determined to be as tough as steel at a time where he had never felt weaker or more broken.

Kabu woke up to an empty bed.

He shot up, calling his boyfriend’s name, but the empty walls of his home gave no response.

Reaching for his phone on his bedside table, he noticed a small white piece of paper with his name written on the top.

_Kabu,_

_Please know that I did not make this decision lightly. If there were another way, trust me, I would take it._

_This is the best solution I could come up with. I hope you can understand that. I know you would disagree, but I need to do this for myself. I’m leaving the League and stepping down from being Champion. Please don’t be angry with me._

_I can’t stand to be away from you. I want you to know and always remember that leaving you and the life I have behind is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do._

_I’ll come back and see you again some day. I promise._

_My love for you will always burn bright._

_Yours forever,_

_Peony_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> apparently in some translations, kabu means flower. excuse me while i go scream.


	5. A Rose Without Thorns

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here we are, the final chapter.
> 
> i know the title kinda contradicts the title of the last chapter but the peony flower is sometimes referred to as "a rose without thorns" and i thought that was fitting :)
> 
> peony's wife finally makes her appearance in this chapter, but since she doesn't have a name in canon i gave her one so i wouldn't have to keep referring to her as "peony's wife"
> 
> this one somehow ended up being not only the longest chapter in this fic but the longest one i've ever written idk how lol but please enjoy

Maybe Peony didn’t think this through enough. Standing in a scattered pile of his belongings on his bedroom floor, he was heavily considering running back to Kabu’s apartment to apologize for scaring him and confess that he wasn’t thinking clearly.

He held his rucksack in his hands, not knowing if he would be able to pack everything as he tried to decide what was essential and what he would have to leave behind as he ended this chapter of his life.

Peony arrived back home in a short amount of time after he had left Kabu’s house and hadn’t wasted any time emptying out his closet to pack only a few outfits to take with him along with his necessary toiletries.

He didn’t think he would need to take anything else with him, and he obviously didn’t have enough time to call a moving company to help him. He wanted to be completely gone before Kabu, along with the rest of the region, woke up to find that their Champion had vanished overnight.

He didn’t even know where he was headed. He just knew that he needed to get away.

If he walked into the League building and officially stated his resignation, everyone who he told his plan to would try and talk him out of it, especially Rose. Peony knew that this was the best course of action to take for his own benefit. He knew himself better than anyone.

He had enough in his savings to be able to find another decent place to live once he settled down somewhere else. He had moved to Stow-on-Side when it was an insignificant location on the Galar map. He could find another place just like it, without drawing attention to himself this time.

Standing at his front door with his bag on his shoulders, he gave one final look to the place that he had called home for over ten years. Before his emotions could take over and control him and plant a seed of doubt in his fragile mine, Peony walked outside into the crisp cool morning air.

He’d been thinking about this one moment all day and all night, weighing extremely heavy on his mind, and now he had to go and officially resign.

What a lot of people didn’t know about the League was that becoming Champion wasn’t as simple and straightforward as just winning a Pokemon battle. A few days after Peony had officially won his match, he’d gone to the Pokemon League headquarters and had signed stacks and stacks of papers, lining out his detailed, point-by-point lifestyle that he would have to adhere to as Champion of the Galar region.

The League Chairman at the time had mentioned to Peony that should he ever wish to resign his position, he would have to go through the same process of signing the required official documents. The only issue with that was that Peony didn’t have the best relationship with the current chairman of the Pokemon League.

He didn’t know how or if he would be able to track down the previous chairman, but he figured that he should go to the Pokemon League building anyway. It was still early, but hopefully someone would be there to help him out. Even if nobody was there, he could still make his resignation official one way or another, all while avoiding Rose and the unhelpful comments he would have to say.

Flying Taxis didn’t operate this early, so he’d been forced to walk on the route between Motostoke and Stow-on-Side for the second time today. Carrying his heavy backpack on his shoulders, Peony felt like a teenager again, travelling through the Galar region with hopes and dreams of becoming Champion. Now he was on his way to give up the dream that he had made a reality. If his younger self could see him now, he would probably be furious and cry, feeling exactly the same way now.  
Walking around Stow-on-Side, the town was still quiet in the early hours of the morning which helped Peony think. He realized that he hadn’t thought about contacting the chairman after everything that had gone down yesterday. He really wanted some answers and explanations from him as to why he had decided to step down, for how long he’d been planning this, why Peony had to find out about it the way he did.

Surprisingly, the front door to the League building was unlocked. The business never slept. A worn out, exhausted employee sat at the reception desk whose interest peaked at the unusual sound of the front door being opened at this early hour. Peony approached her, gave her his sympathy for her current working position, and asked if she knew anything about whether or not he could find the _former_ chairman still working in this building. He had never seen this woman before so he hoped that he could pull off the innocent lie about him not knowing that Rose had already moved into the office, and he had been there to see him last night.

To his surprise, she told Peony that the chairman was in his office and had come early to spend extra time sorting out his belongings as he prepared to officially move out of the office. He thanked her and proceeded to head up the same flight of stairs.

Peony had paid visits to the League building multiple times, but travelling through it twice in less than 24 hours created a weird feeling inside of him. He felt like he had been to two completely separate locations. He had shifted between two different people so rapidly in the time between both of his recent visits.

The top floor was deserted, but Peony could see someone standing in the chairman’s office. He approached the door and knocked gently on the glass before entering, hoping that he wouldn’t be walking in on Rose.

The former chairman was pleased to see Peony this early in the morning, exchanging greetings and small talk, but when Peony explained the reason for his visit, the chairman’s expression sank.

He asked Peony why he wanted to resign to hear his point of view and tried his best to talk him out of it. Peony tried his best not to mention Rose, worrying that the chairman would think less of him if he told him that he was leaving because he was scared of what his big brother could do to him. During his short time working with him, the chairman had always been very supportive and helpful, and Peony worked well with him. He’d used that sentiment to fabricate a story about how he didn’t want to work under new management. If the chairman could resign, then should also be able to. He wasn’t blaming the chairman for stepping down even though it would be so easy to blame someone else as the cause of his own problems.

After the chairman saw the determination in Peony’s eyes, he knew there was no talking him out of it. He could understand Peony’s reasoning. After all, they wouldn't be working together anymore one way or another so in the end, Peony’s decision wouldn’t be affecting him too much.

The chairman fished through the boxes that were scattered around his room, finding the appropriate ones for Peony to sign. He warned Peony that once his signature was on those documents, there was no turning back.

Still, Peony put the pen to the paper.

With a few signatures and initials, Peony was no longer Champion of the Galar region. He was just an ordinary man. He didn’t even know if he would consider himself a Pokemon Trainer anymore. He would always have his partners and companions, but he couldn’t see himself battling in enormous stadiums again in the future.

Peony left the building, making his way back down the long flight of stairs, increasing feelings of regret, guilt, and somber piling on top of him and looming over like a storm cloud. All that was left to do now was to pick the destination of where he would be officially moving to.

He didn’t have any ideas, but the train station was as good a place as any to start looking for a remote destination to travel to.

Peony pulled a cap out of his bag and put it on, keeping his head low as he walked, trying not to draw attention to himself as more people began pouring into the streets. The closer he got to the station, the crowds of people became larger, filling up with commuters on another day to work and tourists who were scrambling to try and find their way around.

Peony walked up to the ticket booth, where a board was situated above him behind the man standing behind the counter. Peony briefly scanned the list of destinations where the upcoming trains were headed to. Through the separating glass barrier, Peony asked for a single ticket to the only location that he didn’t recognize as another huge metropolitan city in Galar.

The man handed him his ticket through the slot opening at the bottom of the barrier. Peony grabbed it and walked over to the correct platform where he sat and waited for his departure.

He sat alone in one of the chairs in the far back corner. No one dared to approach the terrifying, stern-looking man, let alone recognize him as Champion Peony sitting by himself at a train station early in the morning.

Leaning his head against the wall, Peony fought the urge to close his eyes. After he had finally sat down for the first time since he’d left Kabu’s house, he realized just how tired he was and how much had already happened in one day that had barely begun. Travelling was always exhausting, especially with barely having slept the night before. Peony’s body was urging him to get some rest, but he needed to be alert, so he knew when to get on his train before it left the station.

To try and keep himself awake, Peony tried to keep his focus on the TV mounted on the wall across from where he was sitting. Unfortunately, the default channel was on Galar’s most famous news station that covered all subject matters pertaining to the Pokemon League.

The same young woman who Peony had seen announce Rose’s entrance into the League yesterday was sitting at a wide board desk.

“We begin our broadcast this morning with breaking news,” she said. “We have just received word that Champion Peony has announced that he will be stepping down from his position as the region’s Champion after holding the title for a little over a year and only one official season of the Gym Challenge. There is no direct word from Peony himself, rather the former League Chairman has provided this information, stating that he signed the papers and made his official resignation in private early this morning.”

The news was officially out into the world now. All chaos was breaking loose. Peony was now only more anxious to get away from everything and everyone, knowing that if he didn’t distance himself, he’d be caught up in this huge mess with no way out.

The woman paused before delivering the next part of the story. “Some sources say that Peony’s resignation is due to the recent coinciding news of his older brother, the newly appointed Chairman Rose, taking over the position of Pokemon League Chairman; however, this statement is yet to be confirmed by either of them.”

 _Fuck. How would they know that?_ Peony cursed. _It hasn’t even been an hour yet. Does Rose know yet?_

He wondered when Rose would find out, and he was almost curious to see how he would react, if he would be as furious and shell-shocked as Peony had been yesterday. He hoped that maybe Rose could get a taste of his own medicine when it came to learning news about his brother from a news station.

A man sitting next to the first news anchor began speaking.

“For the first time in twenty years, the Galar region has no Champion,” he stated somberly. “I have to say, I don’t believe that Chairman Rose has anything to do with Peony’s resignation.”

“You don’t?” the woman asked.

Peony felt slightly relieved that that rumour would be just that: a rumour, and it would die down quickly.

“No, I think that’s merely just coincidence,” he stated. “As we are all aware, the Gym Challenge is beginning again very soon. I think that Peony has been planning and wanting to do this for a while, and he’s decided to do it now.”

Peony clenched his jaw. His fingernails dug into his palms, inflicting pain on himself so he wouldn’t spontaneously lash out after hearing what this news anchor had to say.

“Even in just one year, we could see that Peony wasn’t fit to be Champion,” he continued. “He had trouble living up to the pressures of being Champion, and I don’t blame him. He certainly had big shoes to fill. Even if these two events were linked, there are probably other different reasons for why he chose to do this at this specific time. But why the day after his brother Rose comes into the spotlight? Well, that to me just seems like a spoiled younger sibling who couldn’t get his way and is acting out for attention.”

Peony grunted and yelled, forcing himself out of his chair. His seat would have flown back behind him had it not been bolted to the ground, as it rumbled and vibrated from Peony’s sheer force. Anger took over his entire body, flowing through his veins. Some people who had been sitting nearby looked up at the sudden violent outburst, but Peony stormed off before they could recognize him.

_Fuck this. I don’t need to sit here and listen to this._

He walked around the different parts of the vast station, circling around, trying to distract himself and clear his head until he had to leave.

Peony didn’t know which version of the story he hated more. He loved his job as Champion, and he never dreamed that he would ever willingly give it up. He had been prepared to keep training for as long as he could to keep his title.

In the end, people were going to believe what they wanted to believe. Everyone would have their own story that they wanted to tell, and Peony had no say in that.

He continued walking around the station until he heard the announcement over the PA system that his train was preparing to leave soon. He walked over to the platform and waited to board with the other passengers. He found a train car where he could sit by himself, took his bag off, and placed it next to him when he sat down.

He was one of the few passengers on the train, meaning that he was correct in assuming that the town he was headed to must have been small and remote just like he hoped it would be.

Peony watched the scenery of the Galar region outside of his window rush by as quickly as the journey had. He knew that he should’ve felt more guilty overall about leaving. The media was definitely starting to make him feel that way, but being on the way to officially starting a new life, he was starting to feel more hopeful. He didn’t feel bad. Peony had been a Gym Leader and Champion, even if that was for only one season. That was still more than most people accomplish in their lifetime, but he still wasn’t recognized for his talents because his brother is the chairman, who was completely in charge of the League. Other regions functioned perfectly without a Champion. Peony was starting to realize that his life was worth more than just the Pokemon League. He wished that the region would start to see that too in his absence.

People were always so quick to judge and criticize him like they had any idea what he’d been through in his life.

In almost no time at all, Peony had arrived at his final destination, eager to hop off the train and to greet his new life. He felt nervous and excited to see what the desolate town looked like and where he would be living out the rest of his life. The train station itself was smaller than most of the regular-size buildings in the cities of Galar. Peony exited the station and immediately his eyes fell upon the barrenness of the land. He spun in every direction, taking in as much of it as he could.

He could see a few small buildings in the distance, what appeared to be souvenir shops and a small grocery store. The residents knew how to make use of the space, with wide-open grassy fields that took up the majority of the land, making the small buildings look like shy pieces of decoration.

Peony knew that this new town was separated from the rest of Galar. He hoped that that also meant that the people living here knew little to nothing about the Gym Challenge and who Peony was.

This new location was different compared to anywhere Peony had ever lived, but the landscapes reminded him of the Wild Area, causing him to remember the day where he first caught Cufant with Rose to spark into his mind. The two sceneries were identical.

Peony had only just arrived and already his new experience was tainted with the most unpleasant thought he could have had. He would need to do a lot of practice to forget about Rose permanently.

* * *

To Peony’s relief, the residents didn’t know much about the Gym Challenge. They knew that it was popular throughout the region, but no one from their town had ever actually participated. When Peony had asked, many of the people had admitted that they didn’t understand the full rules of how the system worked, and even fewer people could actually name the Gym Leaders, the Champion, or the Chairman of the League.

Peony finally felt properly settled into his new home after about a year. During his time, he’d slowly opened up to the residents of the small town. Some of them wondered why Peony would want to move to their no-name town of all the places he could’ve lived in Galar, but he’d been quick to think of an excuse that had nothing to do with his brother.

Peony had one woman in particular to thank for helping him feel welcomed and not like an outsider. Her name was Ruby. Peony didn’t know if that’s why she usually wore red clothes or if it was simply because she knew that the colour looked nice against her pale skin.

They’d met each other at the one grocery store in town, which was owned by Ruby’s family, and she’d grown up working there. Peony frequented the store, not only because he’d had to for essentials, but he took up any opportunity that he could to see Ruby’s warm, dazzling smile.

When he realized that he started catching feelings for her, he’d felt guilty. He felt like he was betraying Kabu all over again. Peony thought about him every day, how much he missed him, and how he must be dealing without him. He wondered if Kabu had also found someone else.

He knew that he couldn’t keep dwelling on the past. The whole point of moving was to start fresh and reinvent himself.

The way he felt around Ruby, he’d only ever felt that way around Kabu before. That was enough for him to know that he loved her and that she would be included in his future.

He loved her so much that he was ready to start a family with her.

Normally he would’ve thought he was rushing into things, but after he had dropped everything and left his whole life behind at a moment’s notice, he figured that nothing he did would ever be as spontaneous as that.

Holding his new-born daughter in his arms, looking at her gentle, smooth face, she was completely and tightly wrapped like a Swadloon in the soft blanket he had made for her weeks before she had been born. Sitting together in their home, with Ruby standing over him, he held her inside the peaceful bliss of their cozy, safe home.

“Still don’t know what to name her,” he mumbled. He turned to look at Ruby. “Any ideas?”

“I have one in mind that I really like. What do you think of Peonia? Named after her daddy,” she explained.

His eyes widened, his cheeks turning up as the widest smile appeared on his face.

“I love it. We could call her Nia for short,” he chuckled. “It’s cute though, don’t cha think?”

“Yeah,” she agreed. “It is cute.” She leaned down and placed a kiss on Peony’s cheek, then one on her daughter’s forehead right after.

“Hullo, Nia,” he cooed, kissing her face gently. “Yeah, you’re definitely Nia. My darlin’ Nia.”

Even though she was sleeping happily and peacefully in his arms, he could tell that she would inherit her father’s energetic personality. She would be bouncing off the walls in no time. Her resting face was peaceful and calm, but Peony was still experiencing all of the racing thoughts and bursting happiness that came along with becoming a parent.

He would do anything to protect the little girl in his arms and make sure that she was always happy and healthy. He never wanted to let her go. All she did was sleep, and occasionally squirm which would make Peony excited and fawn over her adorable little motions. That was enough for Peony to never take his eyes off of her. Looking at Nia, Peony knew that he was feeling completely content. He didn’t know when was the last time he had felt like this, experiencing the constant feelings of inner peace and satisfaction, like the missing puzzle piece in his life had perfectly fallen into place. The only time he could think of that even came close was when he had become Champion and had spent the short-lived time after living his life to the fullest.

He could do that again. It would happen for him again. He’d set out to create a new life for himself. He’d worked at it, and he was watching it all unfold right in front of him. He praised himself for constant, rigorous work ethic, and he hoped Nia would inherit that too.

* * *

Peony was ashamed to admit that his curiosity usually got the better of him. He went exploring and searching for things that he knew would hurt him when found out the truth.

No matter how many times he said it out loud, or how many times he confronted the feelings of resentment that he had, that he hated Rose and wanted nothing to do with him, after all this time of being away from him, the League, and his old life, he couldn’t help himself from checking the news and keeping tabs on his brother.

He could try his hardest to refrain from reading about what was going on in the central parts of Galar, but even then, the Gym Challenge was becoming more popular every year, no doubt because of Rose’s position.

As much as he hated Rose, Peony still kept tabs on him. He watched his interviews and read about what others thought of him, his career, and his accomplishments. Whenever some big news was released to the public, Peony glued himself to his phone, constantly refreshing his news feed and reading all the new information the second it was published.

Around the time when the start of another season of the Gym Challenge rolled around, and every news station in the region was covering every single update down to the last detail, Peony had a hard time trying to avoid it all. That was the time that unsettled him the most because the spotlight was on Rose and Rose alone.

Peony had never understood why the Chairman of the League had to act as a representative for the entire region when the job only involved managing the Pokemon League. He knew that Rose loved the attention, and he didn’t doubt that that played a role in how he ended up at his job. Even when the spotlight wasn’t directly on him, he was still the center of attention.

Rose addressed the people of Galar every year and explained the same rules of how the Pokemon League worked and functioned every single time. The speech usually consisted of the same material every year.

Peony hated how his curiosity controlled him. He knew that he shouldn’t be watching Rose and his old life from the sidelines, but he couldn’t help himself. This was the only way that Peony could be somewhat connected to his previous life, which defeated the whole point of why he moved away in the first place, but he hadn’t done it for himself out of a want or a desire, and it hadn’t been an easy choice to make whatsoever. He would still feel sad and empty when he watched his old life that he had given up pass by right in front of him through a screen. He watched the thrilling battles and exhibition matches, living vicariously through other people’s lives, wishing he could have that for himself once again.

Rose was giving his opening ceremony speech today, and Peony couldn’t force or convince himself not to watch. He’d been scrolling casually on his phone that morning when he had seen the beginnings of an article teasing that Chairman Rose had big plans for the Gym Challenge this year. Peony couldn’t resist the enticing language.

Both he and Ruby luckily had the day off from working at the grocery store. His morning had started out peacefully. Ruby had let Peony sleep in as she took Nia to school, allowing Peony to start his day at his own pace. He ate breakfast with Ruby after she returned, and they spent the morning lounging around together. They sat on opposite sides of the couch facing each other with their legs tangled up in the middle. Ruby’s nose was buried in a book, and Peony was glued to his phone screen, reading up on news.

Right before Rose’s announcement was scheduled to begin, Peony reached for the TV remote to turn on the channel where Rose’s speech would be broadcast live to the entire region.

Ruby looked up from her reading for the first time in hours when she heard the noise and saw the Pokemon League employees standing in the field of Motostoke stadium.

“Don’t watch that shit,” she groaned. “Every time you do you always feel awful.”

He knew that she was right, but he didn’t listen. He didn’t listen to himself either. Some unknown force, a feeling he couldn’t describe, was pushing him forward.

“I’m just curious to see what he has to say,” Peony excused.

“Whatever. I’m not sticking around then,” she announced. “I’ll leave you to it.”

Ruby pushed herself off the couch and walked to their bedroom on the other side of the house. With every relationship, Peony had had to explain his family history, meaning that Ruby had learned Peony’s situation in full detail.

As soon as she left the room, Peony had turned his full attention to the screen just as Rose was making his debut. Peony leaned back on the couch and crossed his arms over his chest, like he was trying to show Rose how tough he was even though he obviously couldn’t see him through the screen. The bright sunshine that was coming through the windows and hitting his face didn’t soften his mood or even deter him.

Rose began introducing himself and all the necessary pleasantries that made him so likeable.

“This year’s Gym Challenge is going to be a special one,” he said, “and not just because it is the ten-year anniversary since I became Chairman, and I have big things planned for the League in order to celebrate.”

“Damn,” Peony muttered. “Has it really been that long?”

Peony didn’t follow Rose’s entire speech. He forced himself to look away occasionally to check his phone every few minutes to see what the rest of the region had to say about his brother.

“I want to take a moment to address a certain rumour that has been going around,” Rose stated.

Peony’s ears perked up, wondering what kind of scandal Rose had supposedly gotten himself into.

“As some of you may know, I have recently bought off a section of land in northern Galar. Well, I am pleased to announce that after countless days, weeks, and months of working alongside the dedicated construction workers of Galar, the formation of the Macros Cosmos corporation headquarters is officially completed.”

Applause flowed through the stadium while Rose smiled as he waited for it to die down. The view changed from Rose to display shots of one of the tallest buildings that Peony had ever seen in his entire life.

“This is Rose Tower,” he explained, "the marvelous skyscraper that will serve as the central office for Macros Cosmos as well as the Pokemon League.”

“Rose Tower?” Peony repeated. “He named the tower after himself? That fuckin’ bastard. I can’t stand him.”

“In addition,” Rose continued, “all future official League tournaments will also be held here, in the city of Wyndon. It has taken a long time to set up and create a whole city, so I hope that all of you will enjoy and appreciate everything that Wyndon has to offer.”

The screen showed shots of different angles of one of the largest stadiums that Peony had ever seen and what probably was the largest stadium in Galar.

“He made a whole city? What mind games is he playin’? What an asshole,” Peony mumbled.

“This project has been something that I have wanted to work on for a very long time. I always thought that it was a bit unfair to have all of the League matches here in Motostoke, in the city where the League Chairman was born and raised. I always found it quite selfish.”

“Yeah, you would know a thing or two about being selfish,” Peony spat.

“Peony,” Ruby said sternly.

Peony tensed up, feeling embarrassed that Ruby had just caught him talking to himself. He turned around and saw his wife’s angry and disappointed face looking down at him.

“Go pick up Nia from school,” she ordered.

Peony turned off the TV, cutting off the ending and wrapping up of Rose’s speech, but he knew that Ruby really was doing him a favour by forcing him to stop watching.

He left the house, without taking a jacket in the calm autumnal weather outside. He heard Ruby lock the door behind him, and he set off in the direction of Nia’s school.

“He’s always been an asshole,” Peony mumbled to himself. “There’s no way that any of his kindness is genuine or actually for the good of the League.”

He could still hear Rose’s voice echoing in his head until he reached the small square building where Nia went to school. He entered the building and walked down to the end of the short hallway where Nia’s classroom was. She was waiting for him at her desk with her backpack and lunch box sitting on the table in front of her. A smile appeared on her face when she noticed her dad standing in the doorway. She ran over towards him, saying goodbye to her teacher and classmates.

She opened her arms for a tight embrace which he returned to her. They headed towards the exit together, and Peony naturally extended his hand for Nia to hold which she happily accepted, holding on loosely.

Nia had hair as white and fluffy as a Wooloo. She had had flat, straight hair all throughout her childhood then one day she woke up and her head was packed with untamable curls. Every morning, her parents sent her off to school looking pristine, but by the end of the day, her uniform would be falling apart at the seams.

“Did you learn anything interesting today?” Peony asked.

“Kinda,” Nia answered. “We talked about the Pokemon League today.”

A knot tied itself around Peony’s stomach. He had moved all the way to a small town where no one knew anything about the Gym Challenge, but he always felt like it was for nothing. Its popularity spread more and more every year to the point where it had now reached everyone and spread across the region like wildfire. Even in the most remote parts of Galar, he still couldn’t escape from his old life. He couldn’t even have a casual conversation with his daughter.

“Really?” he responded, trying his best to play dumb while sounding intrigued and supportive.

“Yeah, my friends are super into the Gym Challenge. They all want to go on their journeys, but I’m not really sure I’m that into it,” she explained.

 _Thank Arceus,_ he sighed, feeling like he’d dodged a bullet.

“The teacher went over some stuff about it in class today, the Gym Leaders and the Champion,” she continued. With beaming green eyes, she looked up at her father and asked, “Dad, did you used to be a Gym Leader and the Champion? ‘Cause we were looking at pictures, and there was one of a guy who kinda looked like you, but I wasn’t sure if it was you.”

He didn’t want to lie to her. He would feel ten times worse than he did now if he did. She already had her suspicions. She’d seen pictures of him from when he was younger, probably from his days as Champion. Nia had backed him into a corner.

“Yeah, I was actually,” he admitted.

“Oh, that’s kinda cool,” she hummed. “Why aren’t you a Champion anymore?”

He couldn’t tell her the real reason. She was still too young, far too innocent for him to explain all of the family drama to her. He still felt bad about lying to his daughter, but he tried his best to give her a reasonable explanation that she could understand.

“Well, nothing lasts forever. Everything has to come to an end at some point, and my time as Champion was over, so I moved here. If I didn’t, I never woulda met your mom, and we never would’ve had you. You know, Nia, just ‘cause your papa’s not a Pokemon Trainer anymore doesn’t mean he’s not a _champ_ ,” he teased, earning a little giggle out of Nia.

Peony’s explanation had extended for the remainder of their trip, finishing up as they stood at the front door, waiting for Ruby to open it.

“Do you have any cool stories you could tell me?” she asked. “I want to know what it was like.”

Nia was persistent, much like Peony had been at her age. He didn’t mind recounting a few stories, especially since no one had asked him that question in years, and he wouldn’t mind revisiting and recounting his glory days. He decided to indulge her a bit now that she was getting excited, and if he didn’t, she would keep bugging him about it. He figured that telling her some stories would make it easier for the both of them to move on from it later.

They entered the house, and Nia immediately dropped her belongings on the floor. She moved over the flop onto the couch on her stomach, groaning about the long day of school that she had endured.

“Do you want to know how I became Champion?” he asked.

She perked up, her head turning with peaked interest. “Yes!”

Ruby looked at Peony quizzically. He responded with a look that said that he would explain it to her later, but since she was now intrigued, Ruby decided to sit next to her daughter to listen to what Peony was going to say.

He sat in front of them and began describing his battle against Mustard. He still remembered the majority of the details and events of the life-changing match. He described all of the moves, the Pokemon that both Trainers had used, some of the close calls where he thought he might lose, the upsets he’d pulled and astonished the crowd with, and how he had strategized to win out in the end and become Galar’s strongest trainer.

Nia listened and watched with intensity. Peony exaggerated a few details here and there to keep her interested, but she was hooked on the full story from start to finish.

After Peony concluded his story, Nia exclaimed, “That’s so cool! Did it really happen?”

“Course it really happened! I keep tellin’ you your papa is cool,” he beamed.

“Do you have any more cool stories?” she wondered.

“Maybe I’ll tell you about them later,” he reasoned. “Don’t you have homework to do now?”

“Yeah,” she pouted.

Nia stood up and walked to her room, taking her backpack and lugging it behind her, mumbling to herself.

“What was that all about?” Ruby asked after Nia had left the room.

“She learned about the Gym Challenge at school, and she saw some of my old pictures,” he explained. “Nothin’ I could do about it really, so I figured I would just tell her rather than lie to her.”

Peony hoped that he had satisfied Nia’s curiosity. She had walked away seeming very excited to learn more, but it was possible that she would forget about everything he’d said within a couple of days. Nia always moved around quickly between her favourite interests, and Peony didn’t expect this to be any different.

Telling Nia stories about being the Champion had completely backfired and only ended up adding fuel to the flames because Nia now had an unrelenting amount of questions.

Later that night when Peony called her name to come eat dinner, Nia sprinted into the kitchen, excitedly holding her mother’s phone that she had borrowed earlier. She had changed out of her school uniform and put on a loose tank top and comfortable pyjama shorts.

Peony and Ruby were stood in the kitchen preparing and adding the final touches to their meals, the smells of spices of freshly baked food wafting through the air.

“Dad, come look at this!” she squealed. “It’s about the Gym Challenge.”

“Can it wait ‘til after? Your mum and I are making dinner,” he explained.

She was bouncing up and down. “No! You have to look at this now!”

Ruby smiled softly at her daughter’s excitedness and how much she loved her dad and eagerly wanted to share something with him now that the two of them had a common talking point.

She glanced over at Peony. “It’s fine. I’ll finish up.”

Nia pulled out two chairs at the dinner table, motioning for Peony to come sit next to her. Nia placed her knees on the chair and sat back down on her heels. She leaned forward against the table and held the phone in between her and her dad as they huddled over it to watch the video that she had queued up.

The video that Nia had found was of Rose’s opening ceremony speech from the very same day. She had probably found it at the top of the list since it would be one of the most recent things when she searched up ‘Gym Challenge’. She had queued up the last few minutes of the speech at exactly the same part where Peony had missed when he had left to pick her up from school in the afternoon.

She told her dad that she had spent all afternoon researching and reading anything she could find about the Gym Challenge. Her dad’s recounting and story-telling had unintentionally inspired something and lit a flame inside her heart and soul.

She had officially decided that she wanted to join the Gym Challenge now too. After all the research she had done after her dad told her all of his epic stories of what his life used to be like, she wanted to be the Champion too.

“This guy explained everything. The chairman, I think he’s called,” she said. “He runs everything. He’s like the boss.”

Her words were like rubbing salt into Peony’s wounds. He didn’t need Nia to explain to him that Rose was the boss of the League.

“Did you know him, Dad? When you were Champion?” Nia asked.

“Er, no, he doesn’t look familiar. He must’ve taken over after I wasn’t Champion anymore,” he said, desperately hoping that Nia wouldn’t pick up on any family resemblances. She watched the screen and didn’t show any hints of recognizing or learning that she had an uncle, and Peony wanted to keep it that way.

He looked over at Ruby nervously who was staring at him blankly. He didn’t want to open a can of Wurmples and tell Nia the truth about her uncle, and he probably never would.

“Can I go on my own journey, please?” she begged.

“No, you can’t,” he said tersely.

“What, why not? I thought you would want me to,” she pouted.

“We just, we can’t afford it,” he reasoned.

“But you don’t even have to pay?” She looked confusedly at her dad.

She moved her finger against the video bar, fast-forwarding a few minutes ahead.

“As of today, endorsements will begin,” Rose said. “As always, participation in the Gym Challenge can be obtained through the sufficient amount of monetary payment. However, for those with extenuating financial circumstances, Trainers may be endorsed by an official representative of the League which will grant them permission to participate.”

“See, you could endorse me!” she smiled. “Even if you’re no longer Champion, I’m sure they’ll still let you and then I can participate.”

When Rose became Chairman, he had implemented a system that would allow more participants to join the Gym Challenge. Introducing endorsements had actually been a pretty good and helpful idea on Rose’s part, and Peony had to give credit where it was due. He had forgotten that the new system had been in play for years now since it hadn’t been around during his time.

Even with Rose’s philanthropy, Peony still hated him. He really would’ve benefited from something like that when he was younger. He wouldn’t have had to waste so many years working to earn his own money to participate. The region probably didn’t know that Rose came from a hard background, but Peony knew the kind of life he had lived and how much their family had struggled with money.

Rose had been the first person to endorse a no-name kid from the small town of Postwick. Nobody had expected him to turn into the famous Champion Leon who supposedly was one of the strongest Champions that Galar had ever had. Peony had seen him on TV during the opening ceremony that year. The young boy wore the brightest smile and tightly held a Charmander in his arms. Peony remembered thinking to himself that he hoped the kid didn’t become Champion because Rose would break his spirit.

Peony had no doubt in his mind that if he _were_ to endorse Nia, she would make an amazing Trainer. He would have so many tips to offer her and coach her. She would be able to go on her journey without any limitations holding her back like he had had at her age.

If the circumstances were different, Peony would’ve loved to have Nia experience the Gym Challenge and everything the League had to offer. He would be by her side the whole time and offer her endless praise to boost her confidence.

“C’mon, Dad. Look.” She pointed at the phone. She had loaded up another video showing off the Dynamax phenomenon, another feature that Rose had brought to the League to make the battles more exciting.

Peony always thought that Pokemon battles were exciting as they were, especially when he had experienced them first hand. Nia had seemed particularly interested in the massive Pokemon, using that as another way to convince her father to let her participate, but Peony was not persuaded.

He knew that there was no way that Rose could possibly know that Peony had a child. He had vowed that he would be done with the League for the rest of his life, and that applied to his child too. He didn’t want Nia going anywhere near Rose ever in her life because nothing good could come from that. He wanted and needed to protect Nia.

“That man, the chairman guy, he said I have to be at least ten years old, and I am ten years old!” she persuaded. “So why not?”

 _That man. She really has no idea,_ Peony realized, and he intended to keep it that way.

“I’m sorry, Nia. You can’t,” he denied.

“Why? Why not? That’s not fair,” she cried.

“It’s too far,” he managed to come up with another excuse on the spot. “We can’t just send you across the region by yourself without you having any way of reaching us if somethin’ goes wrong. Sorry, darlin’. It’s not gonna happen.”

His reasoning was sensible enough, and he kept his tone calm, despite feeling angry at the thought of Nia ever being in the same room as Rose. He would explode from anger and fury if that ever happened.

“That’s not fair! I’ve been stuck in this stupid small town my whole life.” She crossed her arms and slumped back in her chair.

Ruby walked over to the table, holding two plates of food in her hands, placing one each in front of Peony and Nia.

“Mum, please can I go?” Nia begged her mother for assistance who had been silent until this point, hoping that she would take her side.

“Let’s just eat dinner right now,” she decided, ending the dispute.

“This isn’t fair,” Nia whined.

Eating dinner in dead, awkward silence did not usually happen in their household. Nia scarfed down her plate of food as quickly as she could, not responding to any of the pleas Peony made for her not to be angry with him. She didn’t say another word until she was finished eating and asked to be excused from the table. She placed her empty plate in the sink before she stormed off to her room and slammed the door.

Peony felt awful seeing his daughter getting upset over something that he could have prevented. He could have easily said yes and sent her on a journey. He had kept her from going for his own selfish reasons that he couldn’t even explain to her until she was much, much older.

Nia had every right to be angry with him. Despite all that, Peony knew deep down that he was making the right call.

“Is this about Rose?” his wife asked.

They’d finished eating a while after Nia had left. The two of them gathered their plates and took them back to the kitchen sink.

“Of course it’s about Rose,” he said. He leaned his hand against the wall. “Ruby, I can’t let her go. I don’t want him anywhere near her.”

“How do you know that that’ll even happen?” she wondered. “How often does the Chairman actually interact with the Gym Trainers?”

“I don’t wanna take any chances,” he said.

“What if he’s changed,” she offered. “How long has it been since you saw him?”

Peony shook his head furiously. “He hasn’t changed. He’s incapable of it. He’s never changed a thing in his damn life.”

“You told me that you two were close once,” she said. “You can still reconcile with each other.”

“No, not after everything he’s done,” he denied. “He hasn’t cared about me in a long time.”

“Maybe he still does. You haven’t even spoken to him since before Nia was born,” she reasoned. “Love, especially sibling love, doesn’t just go away.”

“I said, that was a long time ago!” he shouted. “I can’t even remember the last time I had a conversation with the guy where I wasn’t fighting with him.”

“And how is it fair for you to project that onto your daughter? Your daughter who, for the first time, is getting excited about something that you know a lot about. You’re telling me that you don’t want her to experience that?” she questioned.

Peony sighed deeply, running a hand across his face. “Of course, I do. But it’s more important for me to protect her.”

He was far away from the Gym Challenge, the League, and Rose, but it was still ruining his life. Tearing apart the family that he had created for himself.

“At least go talk to her,” Ruby reasoned.

“And say what?”

“Say _something_ ,” she snapped. “Something is better than nothing. She loves you. She’ll still listen to you no matter what, yeah?”

He nodded in understanding before leaving the kitchen to walk down the narrow hallway of their one-story house over to Nia’s room and gently knock on the door, trying desperately at an attempt to make it up to her.

“Go away!” she yelled. Her voice was loud enough that Peony could hear her as if she were standing next to him.

“Please, Nia, let me in,” he asked.

After a few moments of silence, she agreed, “Fine.”

Peony pushed the door open slowly to reveal a disheartened Nia laying on her stomach, hugging her pillow as she buried her face in it. She let out small sobs, her breathing shaky and unstable.

“Oh, don’t cry, darlin’,” Peony soothed. He sat next to her on the bed, rubbing small circles along her back. “I know I was a little harsh, and I want to make it up to you.”

Nia shot straight up, still hugging her pillow. “So I can do the Gym Challenge?”

“No,” Peony denied. “That’s still a no and will always be a no.”

Nia turned away again. “I thought this was supposed to be an apology,” she grumbled.

“But I will allow you to have your own Pokemon,” Peony continued. “We can go out into the wild, and you can pick any Pokemon you want, and I’ll catch it for you to keep as your own.”

“What good is a Pokemon if I can’t use it to battle anyway?” she snapped.

“Pokemon aren’t only meant for battle, Nia. They’re companions, and having a Pokemon is a big responsibility,” he explained.

“I don’t care!” she screamed. “Get out of my room!”

He got up off the bed at her request and walked out. He closed the door behind him and turned to lean against it, sighing deeply in regret.

He wished he could think of a way to make it up to her, but she had her mind and her heart set on the Gym Challenge. He wanted to get her to at least forgive him and not be angry and disappointed. He hated leaving the argument hanging open-ended in the air like an untreated wound that kept getting worse and worse. He wanted them to make up and for her to always be the ambitious and curious care-free daughter she was.

He wanted to keep Nia away from Rose, but he didn’t know why he should even bother with it now. Peony hadn’t seen his brother in years, and he was still tearing apart his family.

“Trust me, Nia,” he whispered. “I’m just as frustrated as you are.”

* * *

“You’re gonna wanna see this,” Ruby announced.

She was standing in the door frame of the living room, gripping her phone tightly with a grave expression on her face.

Peony stood up from the couch and walked over to where she was standing. She passed him his phone and took his spot where he had been sitting with Nia, providing her with some company and reassuring her that nothing was wrong despite the serious looks on her parents’ faces.

Peony paced throughout the hallway as he held the phone inches away from his face, a hand clasped over his mouth while mindlessly running his fingers across the scruffiness of his beard.

**_Chairman Rose imprisoned for attempt at resurrecting ancient Pokemon in order to solve Galarian energy crisis_**

_The admired and esteemed chairman of the Pokemon League turned himself over to the authorities last night after admitting to being the sole person responsible for summoning the ancient Pokemon Eternatus to use for his personal gain._

_The chairman himself is unavailable for questioning at this time and has not made any official comments on the situation in its aftermath._

_In a statement provided by the chairman’s secretary, she says, “Chairman Rose always puts the people of Galar first. While his attempts may appear to be misconstrued and misguided, he always acts with compassion and authority to lead the Galar region to a brighter future.”_

_Several Macros Cosmos employees have reported that the chairman has been working on this plan for quite some time now. They claim that his motivation for starting the company is linked to his desire to create sustainable and renewable energy to power the region. However, his absurd plans put many people at risk, including those who are more vulnerable than him._

_Champion Leon has worked closely alongside Chairman Rose during his career. He has refused to comment on the situation at this time. He has not made any public appearances in the days since the event, claiming that he requires enough time to rest before the Championship Match which has been postponed to a later date._

_Chairman Rose will not be responsible for finding and appointing someone new to take over his role. During these final days of this year’s Gym Challenge, the position of Chairman of the Galar Pokemon League is empty._

In the middle of the article was a video showing Rose’s face appearing on the monitors of Wyndon Stadium. He had interrupted the Championship Match to announce his master plan in the most bold and brash way possible, proving that Peony was right in saying that his brother loved attention. 

He had also been right when he predicted that the current Champion wouldn’t have had any easy time working for Rose, but he never expected Rose to punish him and assign blame in front of the entire region. 

He felt guilty. If he hadn’t vanished from the League, that could’ve and probably would have been put in that same tight spot. Peony had put an innocent, youthful kid in his place to take on what should have been his responsibility. Peony wondered if he would have been able to stop Rose if he had been there. 

“What is that idiot doing?” he mumbled. “That bastard always thought ten steps ahead. Look at where that’s gotten him. He’s gone and tripped and fallen over flat on his face. Saving Galar my ass. What a fuckin’ stupid idea.” 

He hadn’t seen Rose in about three years, not even online, so he didn’t know quite exactly how he should feel when the first news he learned about his brother after a long time was that he was in jail. He had decided for himself that he had to give up the childish sibling rivalry at some point. Continuing to live his life the same way he did before and not change anything about himself would defeat the entire purpose of living in a small town with barely any access to the rest of the region. He had fully stopped keeping tabs on the Gym Challenge in case Nia were to catch him in the act, causing her to resent him even more than she already did. That wasn’t fair to her. She had unknowingly and enormously been helping her dad move on from his past. 

“Hey, you alright?” Ruby asked, poking her head through the door. She saw Peony staring down intently at the phone without blinking. “It was too quiet in here. I figured you would’ve been screaming your head off.” 

“Yeah, maybe,” Peony mused. “Sounds like somethin’ I would do." 

“I know you don’t like hearing about him anymore, but I figured you needed to see this,” she reassured him. “I hope you’re not mad.” 

“No, not at all.” He looked down at her and gave her a smile. “I’m glad you told me, actually. Nice to know.” 

“You sure? You don’t have to hide. You can be angry if you want, or you could celebrate too. I don’t know, whatever you’re feeling.” 

He smiled warmly. “Seems like I should be celebrating, yeah? Celebrating some dumb bullshit like this.” 

“So, what are you going to do then?” she inquired. 

Peony took a calming breath, thinking deeply about not only what he wanted to do but what was the right thing to do. 

“Nothin’,” he finally answered with complete certainty. “I’m gonna do nothin’.” 

He was finally free of his brother and his antics. He felt blissful and assured in the life he had. Peony searched through his entire body, but he couldn’t find a single trace of caring about Rose’s fate. 

"Really? Nothing?” Ruby inquired. 

“What am I even gonna do?” he contemplated. “I’m not gonna bail him out, that’s for sure. If I went and visited him, what would I even say? I told you so? I’m not gonna travel all the way back just to say that for one moment of satisfaction. Rose was always the smart one, the leader. Everyone trusted him. If he’s so capable, he’ll figure a way out of the hole he dug himself into.” 

“Wow,” she mused. “That’s the last thing I would’ve expected you to do. But I’m proud of you." 

She smiled warmly at him, and he returned the sentiment. He wrapped his arm around her slim, narrow waist, pulling her closer and kissing the top of her head. He hadn’t heard those words in a long time. He almost began crying. Peony was at a place in his life where he could cry freely and show emotions. He was genuinely happy and surrounded by the people who helped him become that person who he had always wanted to be. 

He passed Ruby her phone back and walked back into the living room where a concerned Nia asked what was going on and why her parents looked so upset.

Peony explained that he wasn’t upset, far from it, in fact. 

He wasn’t going to intervene. He hadn’t for a long time. He realized that if something as big and shocking as learning that his brother was in jail didn’t motivate him to start anything new again, then he was officially done. Nothing new was going to spark inside of him. 

Happiness didn’t come naturally to Peony. He had taken a long time to learn that happiness took time and practice to achieve, but he was thankful and grateful that he’d ended up there later in his life, rather than never. 

In the same way that he had trained to become the Champion, the greatest Pokemon Trainer in all of Galar, he had practiced being content with what he had. 

Happiness and contentment weren’t always guaranteed in his life, even now. He deeply enjoyed the moments where he could experience all the pleasant emotions, but he also understood that they couldn’t last forever, and neither could the equally powerful negative feelings on the opposite side of the spectrum. 

Moments weren’t made to last forever. 

Joy fleeted sometimes, but so did anger. Peony hadn’t been a poor Motostoke kid forever, but he also wasn’t the Champion for very long either. 

Peony had lived an extraordinary life, but it was nowhere near over. With everything that he had learned in his life, and embracing all of his experiences that made him the person he was, he would always be looking towards a hopeful future. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> damn, this is really the end huh? don't mind me getting emotional. i honestly never thought i'd ever be able to write a 40k fic and also get it done in the time that i did and make it coherent and enjoyable to read and include everything that i wanted to include.
> 
> there were a lot of things that i wanted to include that didn't make the final cut but that's just because i could've taken this story in a thousand different directions. i'm sure many other writers could've created a totally different story that would be just as good or maybe even better. i wanted to write this in the first place because the info we got on peony in the games wasn't enough to satisfy my curiosity and i had so many theories of my own.
> 
> i think it goes without saying that this fic is just how i imagined peony's history and that doesn't mean that everything is going to be accurate or true. cause it's implied that peony had nia when he was a gym leader, but i obviously couldn't have that because i chose to add a gay story line in the middle.
> 
> thank you all so much who've read this entire thing and left comments and kudos. yall mean the world to me.
> 
> i know a lot of you wanted me to continue kabu and peony's story but i honestly didn't have anything planned :/ i only wrote this fic up until the end of the main events of swsh and i didn't plan on including anything that happened in tct. but in case any of you are wondering, here's my brief version of events:
> 
> peony reunites with kabu in the stadium after they're both asked by leon to participate in the galarian star tournament. it's not awkward, but they definitely don't talk to each other as freely as they used to. peony apologizes for leaving kabu, and as hurt as kabu was/is, he forgives him, saying that he's glad that peony did what was best for himself. kabu asks peony, not so subtly, if he's still single and peony explains that he met ruby and had nia, but kabu's not upset. he didn't expect that peony would still stay single after all these years. they end up selecting each other as partners for the tournament, battling and having fun like old times. they might not be in a relationship anymore, but they'll always have each other's backs.


End file.
